Bengal Sultanate – Ala-ud-Din Husain Shah – Fathabad Mint Large Flan Silver 1 Tanka Coin

Bengal Sultanate, Ala Al-Din Husain Shah, (AH 899-925, 1493-1519 CE), Denomination: 1 Tanka, Composition: Silver, Weight: 10.46 grams, Diameter: approximately 30 mm (irregular round shape), Mint: Fathabad, Date: AH 899 (1493-1493 CE), Reference: G&G #B706, Grade: Extremely Fine, Rare.

Obverse: Arabic inscription reading “Ala al-Dunya wa’l-Din Abu al-Muzaffar Husain Shah al-Sultan, Khallad Allahu Mulkahu wa Sultanahu”, enclosed within an decorative border.

Reverse: The Kalima (Islamic Declaration of Faith), reading “La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah”, accompanied by the mint name Fatehabad and the date 899 AH, all enclosed within an decorative border.

Ala-ud-Din Husain Shah was one of the most prominent rulers of the Bengal Sultanate and the founder of the Husain Shahi dynasty. He ruled from 1494 to 1519 CE after overthrowing Sultan Shams-ud-Din Muzaffar Shah. His reign witnessed political consolidation, territorial expansion, and flourishing cultural life across Bengal. He supported administration, literature, and religious institutions, while Bengal maintained important commercial connections with other parts of the Indian subcontinent and the wider Indian Ocean world. His son Nusrat Shah succeeded him in 1519, continuing the dynasty’s influence during a celebrated period in Bengal’s history.

Coinage Note: This silver Tanka was struck at the Fathabad Mint in AH 899 (1493-1494 CE), corresponding to the beginning of Husain Shah’s reign. Its elaborate Arabic calligraphy reflects the Sultan’s royal authority and the sophisticated minting traditions of the Bengal Sultanate. The silver Tanka was a major denomination used in trade, taxation, and commercial transactions. This rare issue is a significant example of the early coinage of the Husain Shahi dynasty.