AFGHANISTAN. Kingdom. Mohammad Zahir Shah, 1933-1973. Bronze 25 Pul. Kabul, SH1330 (1951). UNC. KM-941.
This bronze 25 Pul was struck at the Kabul Mint in SH1330 (1951 AD) during the reign of Mohammad Zahir Shah, the last king of Afghanistan and the longest-serving ruler of the country since the founding of the Durrani Empire. Zahir Shah's reign, spanning nearly four decades from 1933 to 1973, was one of the most stable and consequential periods in modern Afghan history, marked by cautious modernization, expanding international relations, and a prolonged era of relative peace often remembered as Afghanistan's golden age.
Catalogued as KM-941, this type represents a distinct issue within the Zahir Shah bronze 25 Pul series, with a design that differs from the earlier KM-931 issues of the 1930s. The obverse carries "Afghanistan" at the top with the denomination written out in full — "twenty-five pul" — within a central cartouche, surrounded by the royal inscription. The reverse displays the Afghan national emblem featuring a mosque with minarets flanked by flags and wheat branches within a wreath, with the date SH1330 below. KM-941 specifies a standard weight of 2.81 grams at approximately 20mm diameter, struck in bronze. The type was produced from SH1330 through SH1333 (1951–1954).
Graded Uncirculated, this coin retains its original mint surfaces and bronze luster without circulation wear — a meaningful distinction for a base metal denomination of this era, as the 25 Pul circulated actively in everyday Afghan commerce and surviving examples in UNC condition represent a small fraction of the original mintage. The SH1330 date is the first year of issue for this type, adding further appeal for the date collector or specialist in Afghan coinage of the mid-20th century.
Item Details
| Item Type | Coin |
| Country / Region | Afghanistan |
| Era / Period | Kingdom of Afghanistan, 1926-1973 |
| Dynasty | Barakzai |
| Ruler / Issuer | Mohammad Zahir Shah, 1933-1973 |
| Series / Type | First Afghan Afghani (AFA), 1925-2002 |
| Denomination | 25 Pul |
| Metal / Composition | Bronze |
| Mint / Printer | Kabul |
| Issuer / Printer | Machine Khana |
| Solar Hijri Year | 1330 |
| Gregorian Year | 1951 |
| Pick / Catalog No. | KM-941 |
| Grade | AU-UNC |
| Grading Service | Raw |
| Variety / Notes | Bronze |