About the Beginning of Coinage in the Ulus of Jochi

Abstract

The article presents photo images of coins and reconstructions of matrices from the recently discovered new mint of Ujkend (Uchkend) , which was located in the Middle Volga region. The previous put forward opinion about the possible name of this settlement from the name of the city of Uch in North India, from where the first settlers could have been brought, is not confirmed. The coins of “Sarai” mint are presented, which are close to the first issues of Bolgar and Ujkend. During studying numismatic artifacts and comparing the data obtained with written sources, the author came to the conclusion that the minting of coins in the Ulus of Jochi began much earlier than previously thought. During the reign of Batu Khan, approximately in the 630s – 640s AH. (in the late 1230s – in the 1240s AD) mints of Bolgar, Ujkend and Sarai were created, where coin production was organized by the craftsmen who were brought from the territories recently conquered by the Mongols, which ceded to the Jochids: to Ujkend – from Ghazna, to Sarai – from Central Asia (probably from Khwarazm), to Bolgar – from the Caucasus.

Keywords

• archaeology
• ulus of jochi
• golden horde
• coins
• dinar
• beginning of coinage
• bolgar
• sarai
• uchkend
• ujkend
• khwarazm
• ghazna
• uch
• mongols
• jochids
• khwarazmshah
• sultan of delhi