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1 Tanka - Ala al-Din Mahmud Shah I
| Issuer | Sultanate of Malwa |
|---|---|
| Year | 1438 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic |
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays multiple lines of bold Arabic calligraphy in Naskh style covering the entire field, arranged in horizontal registers separated by a raised linear border. The inscription records the additional royal titles of Sultan Mahmud Shah along with the mint name Shadiabad. A decorative rope-like border encircles the outer edge of the coin, framing the inscriptional field. The strike is deeply impressed, with the raised lettering exhibiting fine detail typical of Malwa Sultanate gold coinage. The flan retains the irregular, slightly dumpy character consistent with hammered manufacture. |
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| Additional information |
Ala al-Din Mahmud Shah I ruled Malwa from 1436 until his death in 1469, one of the longer and more stable reigns in the sultanate's history. His gold tankas are among the more substantial issues from the Malwa mint at Mandu, a fortress-city perched on a plateau in the Vindhya range that the sultans developed into a genuine cultural capital — not merely a military stronghold.
Malwa's gold coinage from this period reflects the sultanate's position as an inland power without direct access to coastal trade, drawing bullion through overland routes contested by Gujarat and the Bahmani Sultanate simultaneously.