AFGHANISTAN. Kingdom. Mohammad Nadir Shah, 1929-1933. Copper 25 Pul. Kabul, AH1349 (1930). Obverse Die Crack. KM-924.
This copper 25 Pul was struck at the Kabul Mint in AH1349 (1930 AD), during the reign of Mohammad Nadir Shah — one of the most pivotal and turbulent periods in modern Afghan history. Nadir Shah reclaimed the throne in 1929 following the collapse of King Amanullah's government and the brief, chaotic interlude of Habibullah Kalakani's Saqqawist Emirate. The AH1349 date places this coin in the very first year of Nadir Shah's rule, making it among the earliest coins struck under his authority as King of Afghanistan.
Catalogued as KM-924, this type was struck in copper, weighing 6 grams with a diameter of 25mm, and was produced from AH1348 through AH1349 (1929–1930) — a brief two-year window that corresponds exactly to the opening phase of Nadir Shah's reign. The short production run makes this type scarcer than the longer-lived denominations of the era, particularly in well-preserved condition.
This example displays a notable obverse die crack, a minting characteristic caused by stress fractures in the die during production. Die cracks are considered a form of mint error and are actively sought by error coin collectors, adding an additional layer of numismatic interest beyond the coin's already compelling historical context.
At 25 Pul, this coin represented one quarter of an Afghani in everyday Afghan commerce, a mid-tier denomination that circulated actively and was rarely set aside. Examples with original detail intact are correspondingly difficult to find, and this coin offers collectors a direct connection to the monetary history of Afghanistan at one of its most dramatic turning points.
Item Details
| Item Type | Coin |
| Country / Region | Afghanistan |
| Era / Period | Kingdom of Afghanistan, 1926-1973 |
| Dynasty | Barakzai |
| Ruler / Issuer | Mohammad Nadir Shah, 1929-1933 |
| Series / Type | First Afghan Afghani (AFA), 1925-2002 |
| Denomination | 25 Pul |
| Metal / Composition | Copper |
| Mint / Printer | Kabul |
| Issuer / Printer | Machine Khana |
| Hijri Year (Lunar) | 1349 AH |
| Gregorian Year | 1930 |
| Pick / Catalog No. | KM-924 |
| Grade | Ungraded |
| Grading Service | Raw/Ungraded |
| Variety / Notes | Obverse Die Crack |