186 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. |N.S., XVI, 
It is clear then that this ‘simple’ theory cannot be ac- 
cepted, and some other way of accounting for the presence of 
these seven names of the Early Period has to be sought. I 
venture to offer, for what it is worth, a suggestion which has 
aepietae to me. 
n the Imperial mint-system was reorganized and the 
e 
reduced, probably with a view to secure more efficient super- 
vision and a greater uniformity of standard. The privilege of 
issuing muhrs and their fractions was withdrawn from all but 
four places, and that of striking silver pieces was conferred on 
only fourteen towns in the Empire. It was not thought 
advisable or necessary to be so strict in regard to copper.! 
normous everywhere. The number of copper mints (which 
in the earlier period had been about 39) was therefore not only 
not reduced, but slightly augmented. It is probable that this 
was done with a view to ease the situation, not unlikely to be 
created, te the closing of so many mints to the coinage of gold 
and silver. At the same time, the 42 mints were Boast 20 
and their geographical distribution made much m 1 
In this readjustment, all the places of any eee ay his- 
torical, political or commercial, which had formerly enjoyed the 
privilege of striking copper, viz., Awadh, Alwar, Bhakkar, Pat- 
tan, Jaunpar, Kalpi and Qananj were, for the nonce, not de- 
prived of it. Others, however, were, much more severely dealt 
with. Akbarpir, Amirkot, Bahraich, Jalalpur, Jalainagar, 
Khairabad, Sherpir, Fathpar, Katak, Kora, Kiratpur, Malpur, 
Manakpir, Manghar, Madankot and Merta (2) were all disfran- 
chised. The reasons for this differential treatment are not 
difficult to understand. Most of them were third or fourth- 
caying, and several of them have since sunk into such 
obscurity that it is now no easy task to determine their exact 
situation. The name of Bahraich was removed probably 
because ioe which had taken its place was much more 
! In this connection, the followin . 
> - observations of Thomas will bear 
quotation. ‘‘ The pra actice of striking coin in subordinate cities also 
rs : r mon i 
eg ha 384. With all his fondness for innovation, Akbar a apceses i0 
e followed the eae li 
to remain = a lower footing. policy and allowed the copper currency 
