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1 Sawagani - Ala-ud-Din Muhammad Shah II
| Issuer | Delhi Sultanate |
|---|---|
| Year | 1296-1316 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central field bears Arabic legend in two lines reading 'al-sultan al-azam', struck in high relief with the characteristic bold strokes of Khalji-period copper coinage. The script displays a compact Naskh style typical of Delhi Sultanate administrative issues, with letters tightly arranged to fill the available field. Patches of cuprite and azurite patination are visible across the surface. The irregular planchet edge reflects the hand-cut flan preparation standard for this denomination and reign. |
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| Reverse lettering | السلطان الأعظم |
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| Additional information |
Ala-ud-Din Khalji's copper fractional coinage was issued against the backdrop of his aggressive market reform edicts — among the most interventionist price-control measures in medieval South Asian history. He fixed commodity prices across Delhi and established a corps of inspectors to enforce them, with severe punishments for merchants who violated the rates. Coinage at this fractional level was fundamental to those controls functioning at all.
The sawagani represents one-quarter of a jital. Khalji's broader monetary policies, including his controversial decision to experiment with token bronze currency, collapsed shortly after his death in 1316.