AFGHANISTAN. Kingdom. Mohammad Zahir Shah, 1933–1973. Bronze 50 Pul. Kabul, SH1330 (1951). Small Type. UNC. KM-942.1.

This bronze 50 Pul is the small type variety, catalogued as KM-942.1, struck at the Kabul Mint in SH1330 (1951 AD) during the reign of Mohammad Zahir Shah. The small type is distinguished from the large type (KM-942.2) by its reduced diameter and weight — KM-942.1 specifies a standard weight of 4.65 grams at approximately 22.18mm diameter, compared to the larger KM-942.2 which weighs approximately 4.9 grams at 24mm. Both types share the same date of SH1330, making variety identification dependent on physical measurement rather than date alone.

SH1330 (1951) represents a transitional moment in Afghan coinage — this bronze 50 Pul type would soon be followed by the nickel clad steel series introduced in SH1331 (1952), which replaced the bronze denomination series across multiple values. The SH1330 bronze 50 Pul is therefore among the last of the bronze-composition 50 Pul issues before the shift to the modern clad coinage that would define Afghan circulation coins through the 1950s.

Graded Uncirculated, this example retains its original mint surfaces and bronze luster without circulation wear. The 50 Pul represented one half of an Afghani in everyday Afghan commerce — a denomination that circulated actively, making UNC survivors from this era genuinely scarce. For the collector building a type set of Kingdom of Afghanistan bronze coinage or a specialist in SH1330 varieties, this is a well-preserved example of the small type.