Monday, August 16, 2010

Qutb al-Din Bahadur Shah (AH 932 – 943; 1526–1537 AD), Billon Tanka with "Shah-i-Hind" couplet, AH937, Mint Shahr-i-Mukrram Muhammadabad (Champaner), R2289 Goron G361

Mass=8.5 g
Info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahadur_Shah_of_Gujarat

This coin bears one of my favourite couplets:

Harkera Ruye Riwaji Hast Bar Sathe Zamin
Sikka-i-Iqbal Shah-i-Hind Darab Bar Jabin

Whosoever possesses name and fame on the surface of the Earth
Bears on his forehead the stamp of the glory of the sovereign of India

These coins were tentatively attributed to Babur by Dr. Taylor (Numismatic Supplement XXXIII). Later, S.H. Hodivala attributed them to Qutb al-Din Bahadur Shah of Gujarat (Numismatic Supplement XL) and discovered parts of the mint name (Shahr-i-Mukrram Muhammadabad) in the margins of some specimens. These were issued between AH 935 and 940, the period during which Bahadur gained victories over the rulers of Deccan, Bidar, Malwa, and Ujjain.

Two varieties are known. The first one (shown here) has the reverse legend inside a square, with the mint name in the margins. The second type, issued in AH938 and 939, doesn't have the square and the mint name is absent,

Obverse Harkera Ruye Riwaji Hast Bar Sathe Zamin (Whosoever possesses name and fame on the surface of the Earth); Mint mark
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Reverse Sikka-i-Iqbal Shah-i-Hind Darab Bar Jabin (Bears on his forehead the stamp of the glory of the sovereign of India); AH937
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