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Coins of Altishahr (Xinjiang) by Dynasty
from the arrival of Islam to the Qing conquest

Below is a sampling of coins from all of the dynasties known to have issued coins in
Altishahr, from the arrival of Islam to the Qing conquest.  Each dynasty is represented by
at least one coin.
Muhammad (II) Arslan Khan.  reigned 1158-? AD.
Xinjiang Numismatics (D&J) #104.  Album 3426
Yusef (II) Arslan Khan, son of Muhammad (II), died
1205 or 1211 AD.    Xinjiang Numismatics (D&J)
#87.  Album 3428
KASHGAR.  30mm copper coin of Ma'sud.  c. 650
AH (mid 13th century AD).  Xinjiang Numismatics
(D&J) #86.
another
11mm AE, probably time of Orgina Khatun
Almaligh mint.  (1252-1261 AD)
AR coin of Kucha. 2.30 g.  All known specimens
with visible date bear the date 662 (1263/4).  At this
time Qubilai probably controlled the Tarim Oases.  
Album 1983.
Copper denga of Sayyid Ali (1433-1462).
(Previously attributed to the Khanate of Yarkand.)   
 The word "khamsin" (50) of the date is visible,
placing this piece in the 850s AH (1446-1455 AD).  
another
Abdullah Khan, 1635 - 1667.  The complete obverse
legend reads "fulus Abdullah Khan," and the
reverse "Dhurb Yarkand."  (see Xinjiang
Numismatics fall 2005)
another
It is not known precisely when this coin was struck,
so it can only be dated to the period of the
ascendancy of the Khans of Yarkand, i.e. 16th to
early 18th centuries.  There are at least two types
of coins of this size (so-called horse-hoof coins).
This one is distinguished by a ring of dots
surrounding a circle surrounding a dot on the
obverse, and a well-written "Dhurb Yarkand" on
the reverse.
This is the other type of Yarkand horse-hoof coin.  
The obverse has what has been called a floral
pattern, consisting of three central dots with varying
numbers of dashes.  The reverse has the word
"Yarkand" along with some other illegible
markings, possibly "dhurb."
Another example of the "floral" type.
This piece presents the same chronological
problems as the horse-hoof coins.  The reverse
seems to have the word "Yarkand," but it is not
clear.
Copper pul of Tsewang Rabtan 1700 - 1727.  7.8
grams.  These are much scarcer than the coins of
Galdan Tsereng.
Some (earlier?) coins of Tsewang Rabtan, like this
one, were thinner and rounder, though they weigh
about the same.  This example shows double
striking on the reverse.  7.0 grams.
Copper pul of Galdan Tsereng 1727 - 1745.  8.0
grams.
another
another variety,  with larger reverse die than the
obverse.  8.1 grams
Continue to Qing Catalogue
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Proto-Qarakhanid
Great Mongols
Great Mongol /Chaghatayid
Sayyid Ali of Kashgar
Khans of Yarkand
Dzungar Mongols
Qing
XINJIANG COINS
Reference Catalogue
Catalogue Introduction
Pre-Yakub Beg Cash
Rebels' Copper Coins
Post-Reconquest Coins
Appendix
Resources
Bibliography
Links
Contact Me
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Pre-Qing Coins
About Me
Silver Sasnu of Haydar Dughlat, Kashmir AH(953) in the name of the Mughal emperor Humayun. 6.2 g, 14 mm.
G-K 104.   Mirza Haydar Dughlat, the powerful Kashgarian noble and author of the important history of
Altishahr, "Tarikhi Rashidi," led troops into Kashmir a second time in 1546, but under a different sovereign and
with longer-lasting results.  Haydar had been exiled by the new Khan of Yarkand and took refuge at the Mughal
court.  From there he  led a contingent of troops up to Kashmir to conquer the region in the name of the emperor
Humayun.  It was during his five years or so of rule in Kashmir that Mirza Haydar wrote the "Tarikhi Rashidi"
and struck this coin (photo is not to scale).
Sulayman Tafghaj Khan.  Before 1179 AD.  
Xinjiang Numismatics (D&J) #102.  Album 3427
Sa'id Khan and Mirza Haydar Dughlat in Kashmir
Proto-Qarakhanid AE cash. 10th century AD.   The Arabic legend has been read as "malik aram yinal
tegin," and based on the similarity of this legend to later Qarakhanid titulature, the coin has been linked to
the early Qarakhanids.  Most specimens have surfaced in the Ferghana valley, but some have also been
found in Maralbeshi, near Kashgar.  (Photo not to scale)
Sulayman b. Yusuf, as subordinate to his father (1016-1026),
and called only 'Imad ad-Dawla Chaghri Tegin.  Year 414(?),
Kashgar Mint.  AR Dirhem. Kochnev numbers 683 and 684
demonstrate that 'Imad al-Dawla and Sulayman b. Yusuf are
the same individual.  Album 3357.  (photo is not to scale)  
Silver Sasnu of Sa'id Khan, Kashmir AH [939/940] (AD 1533).  G-K86.  5.8g, 15mm.  Although this and the
following coin were struck in Kashmir, they are important artifacts of the history of the Yarkand Khanate.  The
crudely engraved legends on this coin have been read as "as-Sultan al-A'zam Mir Sa'id Ghan," i.e. Sultan Sa'id
Khan of Yarkand.  This Khan is considered among Chinese and Uyghur scholars to be the founder of the Yarkand
or "Sa'idiya" Khanate.   In 1533 Sa'id Khan's soldiers, under the leadership of Mirza Haydar Dughlat, invaded
Kashmir and struck silver and copper coins in the Khan's name (Goron and Goenka, 476).  This is the only known
coinage of Sa'id Khan, as no coins of the Khanate from Yarkand itself are confirmed until the reign of
Muhammad Khan (AD 1590-1609).  (photo is not to scale).
Based on Steve Album's Checklist and Boris Kochnev's articles, there are six Qarakhanid rulers known to
have issued coins in their own names at Kashgar.  The first three are Yusuf Qadir Khan (1005-1032), 'Imad
ad-Dawla Chaghri Tegin (fl. 1006-1016), and Sulayman b. Yusuf (1031-1056).  All three of these rulers issued
silver Dirhems with mint name and date.  The later Khans, Sulayman Tafghaj, Muhammad Arslan, and Yusef
Arslan, minted coins without date or mint.  These have been attributed to Kashgar based on their find
locations.  Two more Qarakhanid rulers issued coins at the mints of Barskhan and Uch: Shams al-Dawla
Arslan Ilak (1052-1057) and Nasir al-Dawla Ghazi (1053-1054).
Yusuf (b. Harun) Qadir Khan (1005-1032).
Year 396 (1006/7), Kashgar mint.  AE
fals.  Album 3356.  Yusuf Qadir Khan
also minted AR dirhems.  A hoard of the
otherwise very rare fals was discovered
near Kashgar around 2005-2007,
supposedly consisting of around 200
coins.  Nearly all examples I have seen
from this hoard are in such poor condition
that the coins are nearly unidentifiable.  
The piece shown here is unusually well
preserved.  (photo is not to scale)
Muhammad Khan (AD 1590-1609). Obverse has the
words "Muhammad Khan," reverse: "Dhurb
Yarkand."  (see Xinjiang Numismatics fall 2005).  I
have seen only two examples of this type, which is
much rarer than the coins of Abdullah Khan.
Interregnal (?) (17th century AD). The obverse has a
grid pattern in place of (or over?) the Khan's name
and the reverse has the usual "Dhurb Yarkand."  
(see Xinjiang Numismatics fall 2005).
Kashghar, 22mm AE fals with f - shaped tamgha.  
All known specimens with visible dates bear the
date 675, when the Tarim was still subject to
Qubilai.  Album  A2013.   
Silver dirhem from mint of Khotan.  Tibetan letter in
obverse center.  Cao and Huang have reconstructed
the legends and read the date as 694 (1294-5 AD)
(Xinjiang Qianbi #1, 2006, pp13-20).  Based on this
date the type could be connected to Qaydu, who
extended control over the eastern parts of the
Tarim in the 1290s.  Thus technically not a
Chaghatay coin, though Qaydu did appoint the head
of the Chaghatay ulus.  Album unlisted.
Another, this one a brockage of the side with the
star outline.
Qarakhanids
Sulayman b. Yusuf (1031-1056).  Year 428, Kashgar Mint.  The mint
name is highlighted on the photo to the right: "b Kashghr." AR dirhem.
 3.4 grams, 19 mm (photos are not to scale). Album 3359
Sulayman b. Yusuf (1031-1056).  Year
427, Yarkand Mint.   AR dirhem.  3.74
grams. Album 3359.  Kochnev unlisted.  
(photo is not to scale)
During the second half of the 13th century, the oases of the Tarim Basin were on the border between the
Mongol uluses of the Chaghatayids and the Great Khans.  The coins in this section do not record the ruler's
name, so they can only be tentatively attributed to the specific division of the Mongol empire by referring to
historical studies concerning who controlled which oases when.  I have used Bregel's historical atlas.
Chaghatayid