© Parimal (CC BY-NC-SA)
© Parimal (CC BY-NC-SA)
½ Tanka - Ala al-din Mahmud Shah I ND
| Billon (40 Rati) | 4.47 g | 17.14 mm |
| Issuer | Sultanate of Malwa (Indian Sultanates) |
|---|---|
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 839-873 |
| Value | ½ Tanka |
| Currency | Tanka (1401-1562) |
| Composition | Billon (40 Rati) |
| Weight | 4.47 g |
| Diameter | 17.14 mm |
| Thickness | 2.55 mm |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered (weight varies) |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-05 |
| Numista | N#71728 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 95% |
Reverse
`al-sultan al-a'zam `ala' al-dunya wa'l din'
Script: Arabic
Edge
Plain
Comment
This coin is part of the 80 Rati series in which a Tanka is 80 rati and a half-Tanka is 40 Rati (approx. 4.4g}Billon coins issued by Mahmud Shah I consists of 3 main series:
(1) a very debased, 100 rati issue weighing 12g and issued during a limited period in the AH860s;
(2) a 96 rati and their fractions struck on square flans with the legend on one side often presented in the shape of a rhombus (like this coin), and
(3) a series of 80 rati tanka weighing 8.5-9g and its fractions, all round in shape.
The value of billon coins against the silver tanka is not known {source GG]
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about this coin is that it was made of Billon, which is an alloy of silver and other metals, typically copper or bronze. The use of Billon in coinage was common in medieval India, as it was a way to create coins that were more durable and had a lower intrinsic value than pure silver coins. The fact that this coin was made of Billon and weighed 4.47g suggests that it was a circulating coin that was widely used in the Sultanate of Malwa during the reign of Ala al-din Mahmud Shah I.
