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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 the Ma'sud,
governor under the Mongols.  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 Khubilai 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).   
Sayyid 'Ali, ruler of Kashgar, was nominally
subordinate to Esen Buqa Khan (II) of the Eastern
Chaghatayids, but he held more political/military
power than his khan.
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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please
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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, "Tarikh-i 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 "Tarikh-i 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 dirham. Album 3357.  
Kochnev 495.  Kochnev numbers 683 and
684 demonstrate that 'Imad al-Dawla and
Sulayman b. Yusuf are the same
individual.  (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.  In his history, Mirza
Haydar also mentions gold coins, though I am unaware of any surviving examples).  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 five Qarakhanid rulers known to
have issued coins in their own names at Kashgar (the first two of them also struck coins in Yarkand).  The first
two are Yusuf Qadir Khan (1005-1032), and Sulayman b. Yusuf (1031-1056).  Both of these rulers issued silver
dirhams with mint name and date.  The later Khans, Sulayman Tafghaj, Muhammad Arslan, and Yusuf 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 mint of Uch, although this is likely a town in Western Turkestan,
rather than the town of Uch-Turfan.  These rulers are Shams al-Dawla Arslan Ilak (1052-1057) and Nasir
al-Dawla Ghazi (1053-1054).  A guide to identifying Qarakhanid coins can be found at
qarakhanid.wordpress.com
Yusuf (b. Harun) Qadir Khan (1005-1032).
Year 396 (1006/7), Kashgar mint.  AE
fals.  Album 3356.  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
Khubilai.  The tamgha is connected to Qaydu.
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.  "Tafghaj" is clearly legible at the
bottom inside the star.
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, as independent ruler
(1031-1056). Year 427, Yarkand Mint.   
AR dirham.  3.74 grams. Album 3359.  
Kochnev unlisted. Obv. legend includes
"Malik al-Mashriq [wa] Sin," i.e.,
"King of the East and China."  Sin, the
Arabic word for China, was used in
Central Asia at this time to denote the
eastern Tarim, including places like
Khotan. (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
Sulayman b. Yusuf, as subordinate to his
father, Yusuf (b. Harun) Qadir Khan
(1005-1032). Year 404 (1014/5), Yarkand
mint.  AR dirham.  Album 3355, Kochnev
378.  4.21 g, 28 mm.  
Based on surviving examples, 404 seems
to be the first year in which Qarakhanid
coins were struck at Yarkand.  An unread
word (or words) precedes the mint name:
ىلىىو or perhaps ىسو . The first letter is
probably the ب ("in" or "at") that usually
precedes mint names.  On a few
specimens from 404 AH and for
specimens from 405-408, a different
spelling occurs, which Kochnev read as
"Shayarkand." After 408, the mint is
spelled simply "Yarkand," as the town
was known into the 20th century (it is now
called Yeken).  This and other examples
may hold important clues to the naming
of Yarkand at the time of the Qarakhanid
conquest.  The coins suggest that the
official name of the town may have been
in some state of transformation at the
time. (photo is not to scale)
All coins of Yarkand during Yusuf Qadir Khan's rule cite his son Sulayman's titles.
 The earliest of these titles, cited here on the obverse, is "Khutlugh Oga."  Yusuf
is cited on the reverse as "Yusuf Qadir Khan bin Bughra Khan, Malik
al-Mashriq."  Yusuf Qadir Khan is well-known in Chinese Turkestan as a holy
warrior and spreader of the faith.  His tomb in Kashgar used to be a major place
of pilgrimage, and he features prominently in the extremely popular hagiography,
Tazkirat al-Bughrakhan,by Mulla Haji (early 19th century).
Silver dirhem from mint of Kashgar.  Time of Qaydu
(668-701 AH).  Album unlisted.  The last two letters
of the mint, "ghr" are visible immediately below the
central 'S'-shaped tamgha.  A nicer example can be
found at Zeno.ru.  (photo is not to scale)
Yusuf (b. Harun) Qadir Khan (1005-1032).
Year 403 (1013/4), Kashgar mint.  AR
dirham.  Album 3355.  Kochnev 311.  3.44
g, 25mm.  reverse die rust (photo is not to
scale)