Ghiyath Al-Din Balban Shah was one of the most prominent Sultans of the Delhi Sultanate. He ruled Delhi from 1266 CE to 1287 CE. When Balban was young he was captured by Mongols, carried to the Ghazni, and was sold to Khawaja Jamal din of Basra. In the year 1232 CE he was brought to Delhi along with the other slaves and all of them were purchased by Iltutmish.

Ghiyath Al-Din Balban started his carrier as a slave and was later appointed as Wazir by Nasir Al-Din Mahmud, the last sultan of the Mamluk Dynasty. Later, from the post of Wazir, he was ascended to the throne of Delhi. This journey from being a slave to the throne of Delhi was not less than a miracle. Balban was one of the most powerful rulers of the sultanates between Iltutmish and Alauddin Khilji.

This silver tanka weighs around 10.77g was issued by. Ghiyath Al-Din Balban Shah from the mint Hazarat Delhi during his reign in Delhi Sultanate. The obverse of the coin is inscribed with Persian legend ‘al-Sultan al-'Azam Ghiyath al-dunya wa al-Din Abu al-Muzaffar Balban al-Sultan’. The reverse of the coin read as Arabic legend in the rectangle with annulets above and below ‘al-Imam al-Musta'asim Amir al-Mumineen.

Image Courtesy: Todywalla Auction