Gujarat Sultanate – Sultan Qutb-ud-Din Ahmad Shah II 1451–1458 Billon 1 Tanka / 80 Rati Historical Coin

Gujarat Sultanate, Sultan Qutb-ud-Din Ahmad Shah II, Reign: AH 855–862 / 1451–1458 CE, Denomination: 1 Tanka or 80 Rati, Composition: Billon, Weight: 9.42 grams, Diameter: 18 mm, References: ICM #2397, Rajgor #2134, About Extremely Fine, Very Scarce.

Obverse: Arabic inscription bearing the ruler’s name and titles arranged in bold ornamental calligraphy “Al sultan Ahmed Shah bin Qutb al-din wa’ldin”.

Reverse: Arabic inscription: “Al Khalifa amir ul mominin khuld allahu khilafatahu”.

Qutb-ud-Din Ahmad Shah II, born Jalal Khan, was the fifth ruler of the Muzaffarid dynasty of Gujarat and reigned from 1451 to 1458 CE. Succeeding Muhammad Shah II, he inherited one of the wealthiest and most commercially active kingdoms in western India. His reign witnessed continued rivalry with the neighboring Malwa Sultanate and campaigns against regional powers, including conflicts connected with Nagaur and Mewar under the celebrated Rana Kumbha. Despite military setbacks, Gujarat remained prosperous through maritime trade and urban development centered around Ahmedabad. The administration maintained a well-organized monetary system that issued gold, silver, billon, and copper denominations for use throughout the sultanate. His coinage continued the elegant epigraphic traditions established by earlier Muzaffarid rulers and reflected the economic strength of fifteenth-century Gujarat.

Coinage Note: Billon tankas of Qutb-ud-Din Ahmad Shah II were struck according to the traditional 80-rati standard and circulated extensively within the Gujarat Sultanate. Catalogued under Rajgor #2134, these pieces are characterized by their bold Arabic inscriptions and compact flan. They represent an important continuation of the distinctive monetary system developed by the Muzaffarid rulers and are significant issues of the late medieval coinage of western India.