2017-02-18 Sat

Zain Al Abidin (AH 823-874; AD 1420-1470) was a Sultan of Kashmir. His real name was Shahi Khan. After the death of Sikandar Shah I in the year AD 1413, his eldest son Ali Shah succeeded him, in the year AD 1420 Ali Shah was defeated in the battle by his brother Shahi Khan. Shahi Khan took the throne under the title Zain Al Abidin.

Zain Al Abidin issued coins in gold, silver and copper. Gold coins issued by him are extremely rare, silver sasnu and copper kaserah were issued in large numbers. All the silver sasnu issued by him were struck with a fixed date 842 till the end of his reign. His silver sasnus were struck with irregular period. Copper Kaserahs issues have a date 841, 848 and 851, with the number 25 which may refer his regnal year. The number 25 is corresponding to the AH year 848.

One of his silver tanka which weighs around 10.4g was sold for INR 1, 20,000 at Todywalla Auction held in Mumbai on 19th April 2014. Obverse of the coin reads as ‘Naib Amir Al-Muminin Ghiyath Al-Dunya Wa’l din and the reverse side of the coin reads as ‘Abul Muzaffar Sultan Zain Al-Abidin. Date on the coin is not properly visible. This coin is extremely rare.