Bengal Sultanate Ghiyath al-Din A‘zam Shah (Ilyas Shahi Dynasty) Silver Tanka Rare

Bengal Sultanate, Ilyas Shahi Dynasty, Ruler: Ghiyath al-Din A‘zam Shah (AH 792–813 / 1389–1410 CE), Denomination: Tanka, Metal: Silver, Weight: 10.66 grams, Diameter: 28 mm, Reference: G&G# B252, About Very Fine, Extremely Rare.

Obverse: “ghiyath al-dunya wa’l din abu’l muzaffar a‘zamshah ibn Sikandar shah ibn ilyas shah al-sultan.

Reverse: “al-sultan al-a‘zam al-mu’ayyad bi-ta’yid al-mulk al-rahman.

Ghiyath al-Din A‘zam Shah was one of the most prominent rulers of the Bengal Sultanate and a major figure of eastern Indian Islamic history during the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Belonging to the restored Ilyas Shahi Dynasty, he strengthened Bengal politically, economically, and culturally while maintaining diplomatic relations with neighboring kingdoms and foreign powers. His reign is particularly remembered for encouraging trade, literature, and Persian court culture. Bengal under A‘zam Shah became an important commercial center connected to maritime networks across the Indian Ocean. The silver Tanka coinage of his reign was struck in substantial quantities and circulated widely throughout eastern India. Coins of A‘zam Shah are historically important for their elegant Arabic calligraphy, numerous legend varieties, and their representation of Bengal’s independent Islamic sovereignty during the medieval period.

The silver Tankas of Ghiyath al-Din A‘zam Shah exist in numerous legend and stylistic varieties, with both long and short titulature forms recorded in numismatic references. Coins were issued from several Bengal mints, though undated and no-mint varieties such as G&G B252 remain particularly desirable among collectors. The broad flans and refined Arabic inscriptions make this series one of the most attractive coinages of the Bengal Sultanate.