Sikandar Lodi Delhi Sultanate Lodi Dynasty 1489–1517 CE Billon Metal 1 Tanka Historical Coin

Delhi Sultanate, Lodi Dynasty, Ruler: Sikandar Lodi (1489–1517 CE), Denomination: 1 Tanka, Metal: Billon, Weight: 7.96 grams, Diameter: 18.75 mm, Reference: GG# D706, About Very Fine.

Obverse: Arabic inscription “al-mutawakkil ‘ala’l rahman sikandar shah bahlul shah sultan”

Reverse: Arabic inscription “fi zaman amir al-mu’minin khulidat khilafauhu”, hijri date 919 ( = 1513-14 CE).

Sikandar Lodi was the second and most successful ruler of the Lodi Dynasty, governing the Delhi Sultanate during a period of territorial expansion and administrative consolidation in northern India. Originally known as Nizam Khan, he succeeded his father Bahlul Lodi and strengthened imperial authority through military campaigns into Bihar and Gwalior. He is also remembered for founding the city of Agra in 1503, which later became one of the most important political centers of medieval India. Sikandar encouraged trade, agriculture, and urban development, helping stabilize the Sultanate economy. His coinage reflected growing centralized authority and circulated widely across commercial regions of North India. Coins issued during his reign are historically important for representing the final phase of the Delhi Sultanate before the rise of the Mughal Empire.

The billon Tanka coinage of Sikandar Lodi formed an essential part of the late Delhi Sultanate monetary system. These hammered coins usually carried elegant Arabic inscriptions emphasizing royal and religious legitimacy. Early issues maintained relatively stable weight standards, though later emissions became increasingly irregular. The low silver content and broad circulation of these Tankas make them important examples of late medieval Indo-Islamic currency.