2017-03-28 Tue

Ala Al-Din Mahmud Shah I was Sultan of Malwa Sultanate. Malwa Sultanate was an Indian kingdom of medieval India in today's Madhya Pradesh region. He came to the throne in the year AH 839. Under the reign of Mahmud Shah I Malwa Sultanate reached its greatest height.

Ala Al-Din Mahmud Shah I issued coins in gold, silver, copper and billon. Gold coins issued by him were struck throughout his reign. Gold coins issued by him are of two types. One has the ‘Sikandar Al Thani’ legend inscribed on it and other with the basic title. Silver coins also have the ‘Sikandar Al Thani legend but have two varieties. One with the obverse legend in the plain surface and reverse legend is within the circle. And the other type has both the sides within the double square.

One of his gold quarter tanka ‘Posthumous Issue’ coin was sold for INR 1, 80,000 at Classical Numismatic Gallery. Mahmud Shah reign from AH 839 to 873, and the date inscribed on the coin is 874, so this coin may have been issued after the death of Mahmud Shah, by his son Ghiyath Shah, in his memory.

The obverse of the coin read as ‘Mahmud Shah Khilji’ and the reverse of the coin reads as ‘Al-Kibriya lillah’ meaning ‘ the glory is Allah’s’ with the date 874. Date on the coin is partly visible. This coin is extremely rare.