INDIA ANCIENT - AMIRS OF SIND - AMIR ALI (900 CE) SILVER QANHARI DIRHAM COIN

AS15, Denomination: Qanhari Dirham, Date: (900 CE), Composition: Silver, Size: 9.65 mm, Weight: 0.54 Gram

Billah Yathiqu Legend

billah thiqqa wa nasarahu / lillah muhammad rasul allah

Sind has been applied to the territory comprising of all the valley of Indus valley from the Arabian Sea to the Salt Range with Mansura in south and Multan in north. From early 8th century AD this area was ruled by the Governors appointed by the Umayyad and then the Abbasid Caliphs. In ninth century AD separate kingdoms were set up in Mansura and Multan. The rulers of Mansura are usually known as Amirs of Sind or Habbarids. Very little is known about them apart from their coins. In AD 1030 Sind was conquered by Mahmud of Ghazni.

Amirs of Sind and their counterparts in Multan also struck copper coins. These copper coins are of two types: one with inscription only and other with a four petal flower on reverse. They struck large number of small silver coins weighing about 0.5g which are called Qandhari Dirhams. These coins seem to have been struck from debased silver and look coppery.