Bengal Sultanate, Mughith ud-din Yuzbak (AH 652-655/6 /1254-1257AD), Lakhnauti Mint, Silver Tanka, AH 6XX, struck from the land tax of Mardan & Nudiya, Obv: Arabic legend "al-sultan al-a'zam Mughith ud-dunya wa'l din Abu'l Muzaffar Yuzbak al-sultan", Rev: Arabic legends "fi 'ahad al-imam al-musta'sim amir al-mu'minin" within a double square & "hada al Darb Lakhnauti min khiraj lahu mardan wa nudiya" in the margin, 11.02g, 29.5mm, (G&G # B76), original patina and toning, choice extremely fine, Extremely Rare.

Note: Mughith ud-din Yuzbak, also known as Malik Ikhtiyar ud-din Yuzbak, was originally a slave, beginning his career as Na’ib Chashnigir (deputy comptroller of the royal kitchen) in the household of Iltutmish. He was gradually promoted and when Sultana Razia came to power he was given the post of Amir-i-Akhur. When Sultan Ala ud-din Mas’ud came to the throne of Delhi at the end of AH 639 (AD 1241) he entrusted Yuzbak with the province of Tabarhindah (or Sirhind). He would sporadically rebel against the Sultan but each time he was excused due to the intervention of Ulugh Khan-i-Mu’azzam, who would become sultan Ghiyath ud-din Balban, who then exercised much influence at the Delhi court. Due to his rebellious nature, he was constantly transferred from one place to another, until ultimately being sent to Lakhnauti. This period is known only from some coins and an inscription, and no sources mention when he arrived at Lakhnauti. The earliest inscription is dated AH 652 and this was the earliest date known from his coins as well. Very recently a new coin dated AH 651 of this ruler has appeared. Yuzbak issued this coin jointly with Delhi’s sultan Nasir-ud-din Mahmud, to whom he appears to pledge his servitude.

This coin establishes that Yuzbak who called himself a slave in earlier coins assumed the position of an independent ruler by declaring himself sultan and adopting the kuniyat (patronymic) Abu’l Muzzafar.