Mahmud of Ghazni: Gold Dinar and Bilingual Silver Dirhem

[mitresh]

Coin 1

Ghaznavid, Mahmud of Ghazni, 997-1030 AD, Gold Dinar, 4.18g, Nishapur Mint, AH 407, 1017 AD



Nishapur (Nishabur, Neyshaboor) is in Khorasan province of Iran. This date (AH 407) coincides with the raid in India in which the Krishna Janambhoomi temple (Keshav Deo) at Mathura was looted and destroyed.

Coin 2

Ghaznavid, Mahmud of Ghazni, 997-1030 AD, Silver Dirhem, 2.94g, Mahmudpur Mint, AH 418, 1027 AD



Mahmudpur is the honorific name for the city of Lahore in Pakistan.

The Silver Dirhem of Mahmud Ghazni is special in Indian Numismatics as it was the first time a bilingual islamic coin was issued  in India bearing legends in both the Arabic and Sanskrit script.


Obverse

Field

la ilah illa allah / muhammad rasul allah / nizam al-din / abu'l-qasim
"no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God, Nizam al-Din, Abu'l-Qasim"

at 12:00: al-qadir, at 9:00 billah
"al-Qadir billah" (name of the Abbassid Caliph)

Margin

bism allah duriba hadha'l-dirham bi-mahmudpur sana thaman 'ashr wa arba'mi'a
"in the name of God this dirham was struck in Mahmudpur the year eighteen and four hundred"

Reverse

Field

written in Sanskrit: avyak tameka / muhammada a / vatar nrpa / ti mahamudu
"The Invisible is One, Muhammad is the manifestation, Muhammad the king"

Margin

written in Sanskrit: avyaktiya name ayam tankam hato muhamuda samvati 418
"in the name of the Invisible, this tanka was struck at Mahmudpur 418"


In another variety, the circular legend around reads as 'ayam tankam mahamudapure ghatitah tajikiyena samvatiti 418' (this tanka was struck at mahmudpur in the tajikiya era 418). Tajikiya era here is a substitute for the Hejirah era.

[THCoins]

Mithresh sir, Your second picture is so big it exceeds the width of the computerscreen many times. Could you make it a bit smaller to make it easier to see ?

[mitresh]

Thanks for bringing it to my notice. Image resolution modified under original post now. Apologies!

[THCoins]

Much better like this. thank you !
I never collected these myself. Seeing the pictures of especially the bilingual coin, i get tempted again.

[Md. Shariful Islam]

For some reason I cannot see the images. This often happens to post of Mitresh jee. Please advice if is problem from my part.

[Figleaf]

The problem is not on your side, Islam. Mitresh is looking for a new host site for his pictures. Repairing the links will not be easy. This is the big disadvantage of embedding pictures.

Peter

[Md. Shariful Islam]

The problem is not on your side, Islam. Mitresh is looking for a new host site for his pictures. Repairing the links will not be easy. This is the big disadvantage of embedding pictures.

Peter

Got it sir.

[mitresh]

Islam

EID MUBARAK!!

I've re-attached the pictures of Ghazni Dinar and Sanskrit Dirham.

As Peter explained, I lost all my pictures posted here due to issues with the server where these were hosted. As I commenced my posts sometime last year, it will take me a good while to resize the coin images and attach them to my posts, so please bear with me. I shall be in a position to do so only after 31 Aug once I'm back from my son's University admission in the USA.

[THCoins]

Ever since Mitresh posted this thread i had been passively on the lookout for one of these Arab-Sankrit bi-lingual Dirhams of Mahmud of Ghazni. Finally encountered one, at a nice discount price.
The surface has suffered a bit from corrosion. There are copper remnants at several locations. Likely this coin was found in between copper coins. I removed the most distracting bit with carefull acid treatment. The remaining remnants do not bother me.

This coin likely is the variety Mitresh already mentioned. Actually, there are four different varieties described.
This seems to be Album 1610, G/G GZ#5.
Did not study the legends in detail yet, but this one seems to be only known for AH419

Obverse in Arab:
- Shahada in the center. Above: Billah. Left: Al-Quadir.
- Below: Yamin al-daula wa amin Mahmud al-milla (Mahmud the guardian of faith)
- Margin: Bism Allah duriba hadha'l-dirham bi-Mahmudpur sana (year)

Reverse in Sharada script:
- Center: avyaktameka/ Muhammada a/vatar nrpa/ti Mahamuda
- Margin: Ayam tankam Mahamudapura ghatita ta jikiyera samvati (year, not on the flan)

[mitresh]

Anthony - this is a beautiful and a very well preserved coin, congrats on a nice acquistion. It is also a very important coin of Indian history.

[THCoins]

Thanks Mitresh !
In hand it is actually a bit nicer. the surface flaws are a bit exagerated in the photo.

[mitresh]

The script on your coin is sharp and clear vs mine that is a bit faded + yours has a nice dotted border which is what makes your coin nice.

[cmerc]

I shall be in a position to do so only after 31 Aug once I'm back from my son's University admission in the USA.

Congratulations to your son! And good luck!

[mitresh]

Thanks, how time flies! Last year we were scrambling for his admission process and next week we will welcome him back home after completing his freshman year.

[cmerc]

Year-old post, didn't realize! Good luck for the remaining three years then.