2017-01-03 Tue

Muhammad bin Tughluq has a unique place in Indian history. He was the man with innovative thoughts that were far ahead of his time.

He had used unique strategies to overcome the threat of Mongols. He used offensive strategies, he shifted his capital, including the residents, from Delhi to Deogiri and renamed it as Daulatabad. He introduced for the first time token currency in India. He tried to switch currencies from silver to brass and copper.

Coins which he had struck in his own name are in gold, silver, billon and copper. The billon coins are abundant and are of many types. Gold coins are more common than the silver coins except the Bengal issue, while copper coins are scarce.

One of his gold tanka minted at Hadrat Delhi, weighs around 11g was sold for INR 50,000 at Classical Numismatics Gallery on 13th October 2012. The obverse of the coin is inscribed as “Fi Ahad Muhammad Bin Tughluq” within circle. Mint name and Date 733 in the margin, while reverse side of the coin is inscribed as “Wa Allah Al-Ghani Wa Antum Al-Fuqura” meaning “And Allah is the rich and ye are the poor” within circle. This is a rare coin.