Old coins
OLD COINS
BRASS TANKA OF
DELHI SULTAN
MUHAMMAD III
Muhammad III bin Tughluq ruled much of India from 1325 to
1351AD. He was a scholar, calligrapher and an innovative monarch. Unfortunately he did not always consider the consequences of his innovations.
Vast amounts of his treasury was spent trying to expand and consolidate his realm. This only encouraged numerous revolts throughout his realm. He forcibly moved his entire capital and all its inhabitants from Delhi to a more central location in the Deccan of central India. Unfortunately there was insufficient water to support the population, and the capital was returned to Delhi two years later, with great suffering and loss of life of the citizens. About 1330AD he tried to replace the silver Tanka with this brass Tanka, in an effort to boost his treasury. The brass
Tanka has beautiful calligraphy on both sides, with legends to encourage its citizens to accept the debased currency. His unhappy citizens, forced to accept this token coinage, soon started to counterfeit them in vast numbers. Foreign traders would not accept the brass
Tankas Within a few years he was forced to return to the silver Tanka, redeeming both real and fake brass
Tankas at a great cost to his treasury. It is reported that a
“mountain” of these brass Tankas remained lying outside the sultanate’s treasuries for over a century. The coins grade Fine to
Very Fine with some green patina. BRONZE COIN OF THE
KUSHAN
EMPIRE
The Kushan Empire covered much what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern India from about the first to the third century AD. They grew wealthy controlling trade centers on the Silk Road and on the
Indus River and incorporated elements of the Greek, Roman,
Chinese, Persian, Indian and other cultures into their lives. Their coins incorporate Greek designs and often use a corrupted Greek alphabet in the legends. We offer a well made bronze Tetradrachms of Kushan
BRASS TANKA OF
DELHI SULTAN
MUHAMMAD III
Muhammad III bin Tughluq ruled much of India from 1325 to
1351AD. He was a scholar, calligrapher and an innovative monarch. Unfortunately he did not always consider the consequences of his innovations.
Vast amounts of his treasury was spent trying to expand and consolidate his realm. This only encouraged numerous revolts throughout his realm. He forcibly moved his entire capital and all its inhabitants from Delhi to a more central location in the Deccan of central India. Unfortunately there was insufficient water to support the population, and the capital was returned to Delhi two years later, with great suffering and loss of life of the citizens. About 1330AD he tried to replace the silver Tanka with this brass Tanka, in an effort to boost his treasury. The brass
Tanka has beautiful calligraphy on both sides, with legends to encourage its citizens to accept the debased currency. His unhappy citizens, forced to accept this token coinage, soon started to counterfeit them in vast numbers. Foreign traders would not accept the brass
Tankas Within a few years he was forced to return to the silver Tanka, redeeming both real and fake brass
Tankas at a great cost to his treasury. It is reported that a
“mountain” of these brass Tankas remained lying outside the sultanate’s treasuries for over a century. The coins grade Fine to
Very Fine with some green patina. BRONZE COIN OF THE
KUSHAN
EMPIRE
The Kushan Empire covered much what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern India from about the first to the third century AD. They grew wealthy controlling trade centers on the Silk Road and on the
Indus River and incorporated elements of the Greek, Roman,
Chinese, Persian, Indian and other cultures into their lives. Their coins incorporate Greek designs and often use a corrupted Greek alphabet in the legends. We offer a well made bronze Tetradrachms of Kushan