2018-07-17 Tue

Depicted here is silver Shahrukhi issued during the first half reign of Humayun from Ujjain/Mandu mint in 943 AH. The obverse of a coin depicts the Kalima-e-Tayyiba within a circle with a Whorl like a mintmark and names of the Khalifa-e-Rashidoons inscribed on the margin. The reverse of a coin shows the name of a ruler ‘Muhammad Humayun Badshah Ghazi’ within a circle and other titles, date and mint around.

This coin is remarkable for the date and the symbol it bears which connect it to the rare issues of Meeran Muhammad Adil Khan of Khandesh struck during his short-lived rule as the Sultan of Gujarat, following the death of Bahadur Shah. While Muhammad's coins do not bear a mint-name, historians have remarked that they might have been struck either in Malwa or at Burhanpur, the capital of Khandesh. The possible contenders for mints in Malwa would be Ujjain or Mandu.

Humayun had occupied Malwa shortly before and his copper coins of Ujjain and Mandu bearing dates AH941 and 942 are known. The style and the employment of the symbol make it clear that this Shahrukhi was also produced in the same workshop as that where coins of Meeran Muhammad Adil Khan were struck in the same year. As such this is an important coin for Humayun's Shahrukhi coinage. In the same year, he also struck Shahrukhis at Champanir.

Image Source: Classical Numismatic Gallery