c.900 AD Medieval Silver Billon Coin

Medieval Silver Billion Coin of Ancient India, Kabul Shahi Dynasty ( c. 500 - 1026 A.D. Shahi Kings of Kabul & Gandhara: Samanta Deva (Honorable Chief Commander) AR Billon Jital ( 15 mm, 3.27 gm ) Obverse: SRI SAMANTA DEVA Rider bearing lance on caparisoned horse, facing right. Reverse: Recumbent (sitting) bull facing left; monogram on rump The ancient Kabul Shahi Empire ruled the Kabul Valley (eastern Afghanistan) from the 6th – 11h centuries A.D. At first, the rulers were Buddhist Turk Shahis, then later Hindu-Shahis. They survived many onslaughts, but were conquered by the Muslim Turk Ghaznavids around 1026 A.D. The silver billon coins featured here were minted by the Shahi kings of Kabul and Gandahara around the years from 850-1000 A.D. Many consisted of a billon alloy of silver and other metals. Bull and horseman type coins continued in the region for another few hundred years.