Dirham - Mas'ud I

Mas'ud I inherited the Ghaznavid sultanate from his father Mahmud in 1030 under disputed circumstances — his brother Muhammad had been designated heir, but Mas'ud seized power through military backing and had Muhammad blinded and imprisoned. The reign that followed was marked by sustained campaigning on multiple fronts, and the silver coinage reflects a treasury under constant pressure to fund those operations.

The catastrophic defeat at Dandanaqan in 1040, where Seljuk forces effectively dismantled Ghaznavid power in Khurasan, preceded Mas'ud's death by less than a year.