2018-06-28 Thu

Sher Shah Suri was the Sultan of Delhi. His original name was Farid and he got the title ‘Sher Khan’ after he killed a Tiger. Sur dynasty was the Afgan family that ruled northern India from 1540-1556.

Sher Shah Suri defeated the Mughal Empire Humayun in the first Battle of Chausa (1539) and then in the Battle of Kannauj (1540), hence he became a powerful ruler and established the Sur Dynasty.

Sher Shah Suri issued coins in gold, silver and copper. In copper, he issued the denominations like Paisa, Half-Paisa, Quarter Paisa, One-eighth Paisa, One-Tenth Paisa, One-Sixteenth Paisa, One-Twentieth Paisa and One-Fortieth Paisa.

As his empire expanded, he issued the coins with the name of the mint, which he had brought under his control; but mintless coin which he issued in silver and copper are also found.

This Jahanpanah type silver Rupee issued during his reign. The obverse of the coin depicts the Arabic legend ‘Sher Shah al-Sultan Khallada Allah Mulkahu wa Saltanahu 947’ within the rectangular border and Devanagari legend Sri Serasahi below. The reverse of the coin engraved Kalima in a rectangle, ‘al-Sultan al-Adil’ in the lower compartment and the names of the Caliphs in four quadrants around it.

Image Source: Classical Numismatic Gallery