Here is Rupee #2 as they say, for those who care for a Rupee a day... Size: 33mm wide, weight - 11.5g. Notes: Islamic legend within a square, "1477" in arabic numbers in the top obverse margin (the meaning is unknown), followed by a star of David with Hindu inscriptions. Dated to 957 AH = 1550 AD. Again, very large (33mm) in diameter, and 11.5 grams. Islam was the religion of Suri Sultan of Delhi, but his power extended to Bengal along with the protection of Hindu and Jewish trade caravans in the region. There was once peace in the region I guess...
It’s a very nice looking early Indian rupee in name of Islam Shah Suri. The significance of 1477 next to “star of David” is still unknown but many believe that it’s the accession year of a king of Cooch Behar (an eastern state in India, close to Bengal). The coins of king “Nara Narayana” also bear this 1477 and it may be a commemorative coin issued by Islam Shah Suri to commemorate “Nara Narayana” accession. If you are interested in seeing Nara Narayana’s rupee coin, I can scan later and will post here. Regards, Ballabh Garg
Yes, that one looks strangely familiar, I do like those big silver Indian coins. BTW, the reverse is upside-down.
Cooch Behar was an independent state in North-East India. Here are two Nara Narayana's rupees dated in Saka 1477 (AD 1555). The date is written in Bengali numerals. It's the last line on obverse. The legends in Nagri letters -> The legends in Bengali letters -> Regards, Ballabh Garg
I don't have any Cooch Behar rupees but my favorite of that region, similar to those, are the octagonal rupees from Assam. The coin below is Pramatta Simha, saka 1672 (1750 AD). Date is in Assamese on lower line reverse.
Clarification I think on that note that the date 1477 in arabic/persian may denote the accession year of Nara Narayan of Coochbehar. Mr. Garg, however please note that Islam Shah's reign was from 952-960 AH ie 1545-1552 and the SE 1477 denotes 1555 AD. This means that Nara Narayan's accession to the throne was 1477 SE or 1555 AD, 3 years after the end of rule of Islam Shah. This indicates, if at all these 2 events are related, which I think not, it is a posthumous issue by the Suris to commemorate?, the accession. Thanks, Bandev
I personally believe that this was a posthumous issue and the coin was NOT issued by the Suris but by the current rulers in Eastern regions. It was not uncommon in those days to keep using old dies for several years with minor modifications. Now if you read the history of Suri dynasty for era 1552-1555, you will be surprised as how many Suri rulers were there in AD 1555. After Islam Shah's death in 1552, the nobles in his court made his 12 years old son Firoz Shah the emperor in Gwalior city (a central state). Within few moths he was assassinated by one of Sher Shah Suri’s brother named Mohammad Shah who then ruled from Gwalior till 1555. The same year 1555, another ruler Ibrahim Shah Suri was ruling in Punjab (Northern region) and another Suri named Sikandar Shah was ruling in Lahore (Western region, now in Pakistan). This year, Sikandar Shah Suri lost his battle against Humanyu in Lahore. And in December 1555, the last Suri ruler Adil Shah lost a battle against Mughal emperor Akbar. So, year 1555 was a trouble year for Suris and I don't think any one of those Suris would have thought about minting a coin to commemorate 'Nara Narayana' accession. Especially when none of those Suris were involved remotely with what's was happening in far eastern region. Now if you are familiar with Indian geography, you will realize that in 1555, those Suris were busy in all various regions in India except Eastern region. This region was kind of out of their radar. So, zoom-in that region; and people there still needed currency for their day to day transactions. The local rulers of Bengal/Assam/Cooch Behar etc. were puzzled as who is the real emperor in Delhi. They can't put any single Suri name on circulating coins. And the local population had trusted and was familiar with the old silver rupees bearing "Islam Shah's" name. A no-brainer for local rulers to keep minting rupees using old dies with 'Islam Shah Suri' name. Now, I am speculating that probably a die sinker in Cooch Behar became more creative and after 'Nara Narayana's accession in 1555, added this '1477' on few of those dies. People didn't care much for this minor difference because coin weight was accurate and this added number was related to one of their favorite local ruler. My above speculation is based on the fact that last 4-5 big hoards of this '1477' type rupees were found in Cooch Behar region. Before these hoard were found, very few coins of this type were known and most of them were traced back their origin linked to 'Cooch Behar'. Regards, Ballabh Garg
While browsing the books on Indian coins, I noticed a book "The coinage of Cooch Behar" by Nicholas Rhodes and S.K.Bose. I wasn’t aware that I had this book with me and now need to do some reading. The authors didn't mention much about the Suris in this book, but here is a footnote I found on page 5 regarding coin of "Islam Shah". "It is interesting to note that certain rupees of Islam Shah, with no mint name, but clearly struck in Bengal, perhaps at Tanda, have a 'pseudo date', 1477, in Arabic numerals above the reverse. These pieces are dated 952-60 AH (1545-1552 AD), whereas 1477 saka = 1555 AD, or three years after the end of Islam Shah's reign. These pieces may either be posthumous issues with pseudo AH date, struck by Nara Narayan, with his accession year indicate, or it is possible that '1477' has some meaning other then AH date." Regards, Ballabh Garg
