Bengal Sultan Sikander bin Ilyas Silver Tanka Satgaon mint Rare

Bengal Sultanate, Sikander bin Ilyas (AH 758-792, 1357-1389 AD), Composition: Silver, Denomination: AR Tanka, Weight: 10.36 grams, Diameter: 27.41 mm, Mint Name: Struck at Satgaon, Reference: ICM #2389, very fine, rare.

Obverse: Typically bears the legend “al-Sultan al-Azam Abu al-Mujahid Sikandar Shah bin Ilyas Shah al-Sultan” (The Great Sultan, Father of the Warrior, Sikandar Shah, son of Ilyas Shah the Sultan).

Reverse: Usually features the legend “Yamin Khalifat Allah Nasir Amir al-Muminin” (Right hand of the Caliph of God, Helper of the Prince of the Faithful).

The silver tanka of Sikandar Shah belongs to the Bengal Sultanate during a period of consolidation and architectural achievement. Sikandar Shah (r. 1357–1389 CE), the son of Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah, inherited a unified Bengal and successfully maintained its independence from the Delhi Sultanate. His reign is marked by political stability, strong administrative control, and economic growth supported by active inland and maritime trade through centers like Satgaon. He also commissioned major architectural works, most notably the Adina Mosque at Pandua, which symbolized both imperial authority and religious prestige. Under his rule, Bengal emerged as a powerful and independent kingdom in eastern India with a distinct identity.

From a numismatic perspective, his AR tanka reflects the standardized and well-developed coinage of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty. Struck at Satgaon, a major commercial hub and mint center, these coins follow the Islamic epigraphic tradition, using inscriptions instead of images. The legends emphasize royal authority, lineage, and religious legitimacy, reinforcing the ruler’s position while facilitating stable monetary circulation across the region.