9- NUMISMATIC SUPPLEMENT No. XXVII. 



Note.— The numeration of the articles below is continued 



from p. 498 of the " Journal and Proceedings ff for 



166. Some small Silver pieces of the Sultans of Delhi. 



[With Plate it] 



The scarcity of fractions of the silver tanka of the Sultans 

 of Delhi is well known. They number possibly not more than 

 a score all told from the time of Altamash to the end of the 

 Suri dynasty— a period of over 300 years. 



Of the following six coins, five are from my own cabinet. 

 The sixth, a half tanka of Nasiru-d-dln Mahmud, is in the 

 collection of Mr. C. S. Delmerick, late of the Opium Depart- 

 ment. All six coins are, so far as I know, unique and are pub- 

 lished for the first time. 



1. SHAMSU-D-DIN ALTAMASH 



(or Altitmish). 

 Wt. : 83 grains. 

 S. : -95". 



Obverse. — In double square within circle — three dots in 



each segment. 



Reverse. — Area enclosed as on obverse, but no dots in 



segments. 



This is the earliest half tanka of the Dehli Sultans known. 

 It is well executed and in very fair preservation. 



The circle exactly fits the flan of the coin and there is no 

 room for any margin though probably the die contemplated 

 one. The coin is of the. type of I.M.C. No. 39 struck for issue 

 in the cities of Hindustan (biladu-1-Hind) with its tantalisingly 

 defective marginal inscription on the reverse. 



