2018-03-16 Fri

Shams Al-Din Ilyas Shah (AH 743-758; AD 1342-1357) was the first Sultan of Bengal and the founder of Ilahi Shahi dynasty. The Ilahi Shahi dynasty was the first independent Turkish Muslim ruling dynasty which ruled Bengal in the late medieval period.

Shams Al Din Ilyas Shah struck coins in gold and silver. He minted coins from Firuzabad, (Al-Balad Firuzabad, Hadrat Firuzabad), Satgaon, Sunargaon, Hadrat Jalal Sunargaon. The engraving on the coin is little poor.

This gold half tanka issued by him from the mint ‘Al-Balad Firuzabad weighs around 5.3g. The obverse of this coin is inscribed as ‘Shams Al-Din Wa’ Al-Din’ written within the circle, the mint name ‘Al-Balad Firuzabad’ and AH date written in the margin. The reverse of this coin inscribed as ‘Al-Sultan Al-Ghazi’.

This extremely rare gold tanka was sold for INR 3,25,000 in Classical Numismatic Gallery Auction.

Image Courtesy: Classical Numismatic Gallery