2018-04-04 Wed

The Princely State of Tonk accepted the British suzerainty in the year 1817 CE. After the country gained independence in the year 1947, Tonk state acceded to the newly formed Union of India.

The founder of the state was Nawab Muhammad Amir Khan (1769-1834), an adventurer and military leader of Pashtun descent from Afghanistan. Amir Khan rose to be a Military Commander in the service of Yashwantrao Holkar of the Maratha Empire in 1798. In 1806, Khan received the state of Tonk from Yashwantrao Holkar. In 1817, after the Third Anglo-Maratha War, Amir Khan submitted to the British East India Company and kept his territory of Tonk and received the title of Nawab.

Muhammad Ibrahim Ali Khan was the fourth Nawab of Tonk Princely State and ruled from 1868 to 1930 AD. He issued coins in gold, silver, and copper in different denominations and fractions from Sironj and Tonk mint. These coins were issued in the name of Queen Victoria.

The legend on the coins usually has the ruler’s name and title on the obverse ‘Sikka mubarak zad az fazl yazdan rais Tonk Ibrahim Alikhan’ with AH date and Leaf mint mark. The reverse has legend ‘Ahdi malikah muazzam sultanat inglistan wa qaiser hindustan dar al-zarb Tonk’.

Above shown silver Nazarana Rupee which issued in the reign of Muhammad Ibrahim Ali Khan in 1297 AH. was sold for INR 42,000 by Todywalla Auctions.

Image Source: Todywalla Auction