Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c8.28

c8.28

5. *Coins.*—The distinctive feature of the coins of the period is their monetary and not token value. So much so, that under certain circumstances, goldsmiths and dealers of bullion in the South were authorized to manufacture coins of the correct weight and intrinsic value, by prescriptive right. The State took every precaution to maintain the purity and the weight of the coins.⁴ Sultan ‘Ala-ud-din Khalji made practically the only glaring attempt at debasing of coins. He contemplated reducing the silver *Tanka* from 175 to 140 grains of silver.⁵ The solitary attempt of Sultan Muhammad Tughluq at introducing token currency failed. So that we can take it as a rule that the coins were of pure metal and standard weight.