Old Suri Empire Coins for Sale

Sher Shah Suri, who rose from the humble position of a soldier in Bihar to become the virtual ruler of what is now that land and neighboring Bengal, declared himself Shah and styled himself Sultan in 942AH (1535 AD). He ousted Humayun in 1540AD and took the destiny of India in his hands. Sher Shah had already issued silver and copper coins under his own name from several places. When he occupied the throne of Delhi he issued coins in silver and copper and removed the mixed metal (billon) coins from the Indian coinage once and for all. He also did not issue any coins in gold. But some of his coins are known to have been minted in this metal.

Sher Shah's silver coins bear the names of Kalima and the four caliphs — Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali on the obverse; and his name Farid-ud-Duniya wa Din Abu al-Muzaffar Sher Shah Sultan, Khald Allah Mulk (May Allah establish his kingdom), with mint-name and date Sri Sersahi (often very wrong) in Nagari characters on the reverse. These legends are variously arranged; they differentiate coins into several categories. They were supplied from Ujjain, Agra, Bandua, Sunar, Ranthambore, Satgaon, Sharibabad, Sherkar Qila, Sherkar alias Kanauj, Sherkar alias Delhi, Sherkar alias Bakkar, Fathabad, Kalpi, Gwalior and Malod. Besides these coins there are some coins which bear the word Jahanbana instead of the mint name and suggest that they were issued from the court or some camp coinage. This practice of issuing coins from royal encampments became popular during the Mughal period. Sher Shah's copper coins were issued from Abu, Agra, Alwar, Awadh, Bayana, Sunar, Hissar, Sambal, Sherkar (Kanauj), Sherkar (Gila), Sherkar (Delhi), Kalpi, Gwalior, Lakhnauti, Malod and Narnol. Besides these, there is a large series of mintless silver and copper coins which, it is suggested, originated as coinage during the early period of his conquests and the strengthening of his rule. But in many cases they were struck after the practice of recording the mint names on the coins was established, so that they may have been issued from mobile camp coins. Most of the copper coins bear fi ahad al-amir al-hami (Commander of the Faithful, Protector of the Religion during the time) and the sultan's name and titles on the obverse and the mint name.

The coinage of his successor Islam Shah (1545-1552AD) followed the style of his father's coinage. In silver, the Bayana, Raisen and Narnol mints are included, while those of UJjain, Panduah, Ranthambhor are included. Fathbad and Malot disappear. The new mints in copper are Badaun, Raisen, Shakar and Sherkar (Kanavj). With the accession of Muhammad Adil Shah (1552-53AD), the four tunes of the Suri were reduced, which is reflected in his coins, which are similar to the earlier ones. Ibrahim (1553AD) and Sikandar Sur (1554) assumed sovereignty over parts of the Delhi kingdom, after they had captured it from Muhammad Adil, and issued silver and copper coins, but these are extremely rare.

Suri silver coins do not correspond to the weight of 170 grains of earlier Delhi Sultans. They weigh near 180 grains and are known by the name of rubia, which is still current in the country. Similarly the copper coins were paisa, but their weights make it difficult to tell what the actual standard weight was. For example, the Narnol mint coins are known to be 328-29 grains and those from Sunar 304 grains. Such heavy coins were not known in the earlier period.