2S2 C. J. Kodgers — The Copper Coins of Kashmir. [No. 4, 



The Copper Coins of the Sultans of Kashmir. — By C. J. Eodgees. 

 (With a Plate.) 



In nearly all the bazaars of the large cities of the Panjab large quan- 

 tities of old coins of a peculiar stamp and bearing signs of much usage 

 are obtainable. The obverse of these coins has a bar, with central knot, 

 running from right to left of the coin. This central knot is in some cases 

 elaborate, in others it degenerates into a carelessly formed circle. Above 

 the bar come the words Ja*$\ iylkX*J|. The u> of Sultan is nearly always 

 hung on the J of that word, while the a crosses the field completely. Be- 

 low the bar the name of the king is written, occupying as a rule the whole 

 space. In every case, except that of Zain ul-Abidin, the word Shah is added 

 to the name. The reverse is occupied completely with the words &i*» jy^ 

 jSj.x+JLZ' \->yi>, and the year is added in Arabic words. Were these coins 

 obtainable in anything like a legible form, they would be exceedingly 

 valuable in settling the chronology of Kashmir. But hitherto, in spite of 

 most extensive search, only poor specimens of most of the kings have been 

 obtained. 



The silver coins of these Sultans are all, so far as I know, square. 

 Two of them, Muhammad All Shah and Muhammad Yusuf Shah, were 

 published by Mr. Delmerick in J. A. S. B., Pt. I, 1876, PL VI, figs. 24 

 and 25. I have silver coins of the above Muhammad Shah, Ismail Shah, 

 Zain ul-Abidin, Nadir Shah and Akbar. General Cunningham has others, 

 amongst which are Husain Shah and Humayun. In all, this prince of In- 

 dian Numismatists has the silver coins of ten Sultans. They are all square 

 and are exceedingly rare. 



The copper coins with which this paper has to do are common as a 

 rule. But some of them are of necessity rare. Zain ul-Abidin was the 

 only one who seems to have deviated from the track of the cross bar and 

 central knot. The reverses of his coins exhibit also a divergence from the 

 usual form. They have the word ^y^ ■ crossed by the word j&&£ and 

 around these words is a quarterfoil lozenge with elaborate knots in the 

 outer corners. Some of this king's coins conform to the bar and knot. I 

 have not given specimens of these, as with so many other kings having them, 

 they were not needed. Some of this king's coins are brass. See No. 2. 



After the time of Akbar the reverses contained the year in Persian 

 instead of Arabic. The coins of Husain Shah and Yusuf Shah exhibit 

 these peculiarities. One of the three coins I have of Akbar has on the 



reverse ,^1^ ^j*, where the year is Akbar's Ilahisan. I have said above 

 that I have a square silver coin of Nadir Shah. Who this king was 1 do 



