AFGHANISTAN. Emirate. Amanullah, 1919-1929. Copper 3 Shahi (15 Paisa). Kabul, SH1300 (1921). "Thin Letter" Variety. KM-881.1.

This copper 3 Shahi — equivalent to 15 Paisa — was struck at the Kabul Mint in SH1300 (1921 AD) under Emir Amanullah Khan, one of the most ambitious and visionary rulers in Afghan history. Amanullah came to power in 1919 following the assassination of his father Habibullah Khan, and almost immediately launched the Third Anglo-Afghan War, winning full Afghan independence from British influence by the Treaty of Rawalpindi in August 1919. The SH1300 (1921) date places this coin squarely in the early years of that independent Afghanistan, struck as Amanullah was laying the groundwork for his ambitious modernization program.

Catalogued as KM-881, this type was struck in copper, weighing 7.7 grams with a diameter of 32.2mm, and was produced from SH1298 through SH1300 (1919–1921). This specific example is the "Thin Letter" variety (KM-881.1), distinguished by finer, more delicate lettering in the Persian inscriptions — a die variety that appeals strongly to specialist collectors of Afghan coinage. The SH1300 date represents the final year of production for this type before it was succeeded by a revised coinage, adding further numismatic significance to this already scarce variety.

The obverse carries Persian lettering reading "Al-Ghazi Amanullah" — "The Conqueror Amanullah" — reflecting the triumphant title Amanullah adopted following Afghanistan's hard-won independence. The reverse features a mosque within a seven-pointed star, surrounded by stars, with Arabic lettering denoting the denomination.

The 3 Shahi denomination equaled 15 Paisa or one quarter of an Abbasi, placing it in active circulation as a mid-value everyday coin. Examples of the Thin Letter variety in collectible condition are genuinely scarce, making this an attractive piece for the specialist.