288 H. Blocbmann — History and Geography of Bengal. — No. III. [Xo 3, 



Malimu'd Sha'h I. 



(A. H. 846 to 864 ; A. D. 1442 to 1459.) 



The chronology of the reign of this king, which was hitherto one of the 

 obscurest portions of Bengal History, has been further cleared up by a small 

 but important trouvaille of eight silver coins struck by him. The coins 

 were found by Major W. W. Hume at Mahasthan (Mostan) Garb, seven 

 miles north of Bagura : four of them were sent to the Society by Mr. C. J. 

 O'Donnell, C. S., who in the last number of the Journal gave a description 

 of the place, and the other four were received from Mr. E. Vesey Westmacott, 

 C. S. The eight coins have been figured on PI. XI, Nos. 2 to 9. Five of 

 them have years, so that the ascertained dates of Mahmud Shah's reign 

 are now— 846, 84*, 852, 858, 859, 861, 862, 863, 28th Zil Hajjah 863. 



Nos. 2, 3, and 9 of the coins are very rude specimens of engraving ; 

 and if the last had not been found together with the others, I would be 

 inclined to attribute it to Mahmud Shah II., as the kunyah looks more like 

 ' Abul Mujahid' than like ' Abul Muzaffar'. All the coins bear numerous 

 shroffmarks.* 



1. Vide PI. XI, No. 2. New variety. Silver. A. H. 84* No mint- 

 town. Weight, 16197 grains. 



Obverse — <■ ^f 1, i&**-jJ\ *£*& *ijJ\ 



Margin — Ap# * x *' *r>j* 



Reverse— c/kU && tj+sJOj&Jljil ilJ J^\j USaJij-eli 



The legend is the same as on Col. Hyde's unique Mahmud Shah of 816, 

 published by me in J. A. S. B., 1874, p. 295. 



2. Vide PL XI, No. 3. Obverse as reverse of No. 1 ; Reverse illegi- 

 ble, probably the same as in Nos. 5, 7, 8, 9. Weight, 16565 grains. 



3. Vide PL XI, No. 4. A. H. 852. Weight, 164-41 grains. 

 Obverse — as in No. 3. 



Margin — A &r ^ V^""' 



Reverse — <xJUaiwj s,Zl*> &lj( o.li. 



* The object of these marks, which are common even on early Bengal coins, was to 

 depreciate the coins. The real commerce of the country was carried on in cowries, as no 

 copper was issued ; and it suited the hankers and money-changers, when coins hearing 

 the new year were issued, arbitrarily to declare that the coins of the past year, and those 

 of all previous years, were no longer Tcullcldr ( jto4} ( from the Arabic hull, all), i. e., 

 all-having, of full value. Hence they disfigured the coins, to the great loss of the pub- 

 lic, by small circular stamps, or longitudinal notches, so that it is a wonder that so many 

 coins have come down to us with clear dates. Coins of former years, or coins thus 

 marked by shroffs ( o[^*" ), were often called sandt, pi. of saiiah, a year. Vide also 

 Buchanan (Martin's Edition), II, p. 1006. 



