The first Sikh coinage was minted by Banda Singh Bahadur (1670-1716) – the first political leader of the Sikhs in the post Guru era. After defeating the Mughals, and attaining short lived sovereignty over the north-western region of India in the battle of Sirhind in 1710. of Punjab and eventually controlled territory from the neighbourhood of Delhi to the river Ravi who ruled from 1709 to 1716.

Banda Singh Bahadur was a valiant Sikh General who captured Wazir Khan, the cruel Governor of Sirhind, the capital of Moghuls in the North India. Wazir Khan had bricked alive the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh in 1704 when the brave lads had refused to convert to Islam. Banda Singh first established the Sikh tradition of coinage in the name of the Sikh Gurus rather than a rulers own name. This tradition was also followed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

In 1711, the Khalsa Panth, under the leadership of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, issued the first known 1 rupee silver coins bearing the Year 2 at Mukhlispore (renamed Lohgarh) near Sadhaura. A second issue of 1 rupee silver coins bearing the Year 3 were issued in 1712.

However, the couplet of these coins is different from the couplet used on the seal of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.

As a humble follower of the Gurus, after establishing his kingdom, he was the first Sikh general to strike........

© Eurasia Review