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Posted 06/05/2026 09:38 am
AH 731 1331 CE Dehli Sultans AE Tanka (Forced Token Currency)
Date in Kurdish words around outer margin Hafsad Si Yek = 731
Forced currency:
Unique among Muhammad Bin Tughluq's coinage was the "forced" token currency. It was modelled after the Chinese example, using brass or copper tokens, backed by the silver and gold kept in the treasury. Tughluq had two scalable versions, issued in Delhi and Daulatabad. The currency was issued in the two different standards, undoubtedly to follow the local standards which pre-existed in the North and in the South respectively. He engraved "He who obeys the Sultan obeys the compassionate" to fascinate people in accepting the new coinage. However, very few people exchanged their gold or silver coins for the new copper ones. Moreover, the tokens were easy to forge, which led to heavy losses, as Tughluq subsequently withdrew the forged currency by exchanging it for bullion coins. It is said that after the plan failed, there were heaps of copper coins lying around the royal offices for years. (Numista)
Date in Kurdish words around outer margin Hafsad Si Yek = 731
Forced currency:
Unique among Muhammad Bin Tughluq's coinage was the "forced" token currency. It was modelled after the Chinese example, using brass or copper tokens, backed by the silver and gold kept in the treasury. Tughluq had two scalable versions, issued in Delhi and Daulatabad. The currency was issued in the two different standards, undoubtedly to follow the local standards which pre-existed in the North and in the South respectively. He engraved "He who obeys the Sultan obeys the compassionate" to fascinate people in accepting the new coinage. However, very few people exchanged their gold or silver coins for the new copper ones. Moreover, the tokens were easy to forge, which led to heavy losses, as Tughluq subsequently withdrew the forged currency by exchanging it for bullion coins. It is said that after the plan failed, there were heaps of copper coins lying around the royal offices for years. (Numista)
The Ox moves slowly, but the Earth is patient.
Edited by ttkoo
06/06/2026 07:16 am
06/06/2026 07:16 am
