24 The Initial Coinage of Bengal. [No. 3, 



do duty in the case, the probability of the use of the 1G0 naturally 

 suggests itself in connexion with the theoretical organization of the 

 copper coinage. 



In proceeding to test the relations of the minor and subordinate 

 currencies, the cardinal point to be determined is, the exchangeable 

 value of copper as against silver. It has been affirmed by Cole- 

 brooke,* that the ratio stood in Manu's time at 64 to 1 : accepting 

 the correctness of this estimate, which has, I believe, remained un- 

 challenged, and supposing the rate to have remained practically but 

 little affected up to the Muhammadan conquest, the 175 grains of 

 silver of Altamsh's new coinage would be equivalent in metallic 

 value to 11,200 grains of copper. The ancient copper kdrshdpana 

 is recognised and defined as 80 ratis in weight, so that under 

 the above conditions, and calculating the rati at 1.75 grains, each 

 karshapana was equal to 140 grains, and eighty of these, under the 

 same calculations, give a return of 11,200 grains. Without at present 

 advancing any more definite proposition, or quoting dubious coincidences 

 it may be as well to test these preliminary results by the Numismatic 

 data Firuz Shah's Mints have left as an heritage behind him. Among 

 the incidents quoted regarding that monarch's monetary innovations 

 he is stated to have introduced, for the first time, half and quarter 

 Chitals. On the occasion of a very elaborate revision of my mono- 

 graph on the Pathan Sultans of Dehli, while residing under the very 

 shadow of so many of their memorial edifices, I acquired and described, 

 among others, two specimens of the money of this king, which seemed 

 to be closely identifiable with his Utopian productions of new and 

 infinitesimal subdivisions of the leading copper coinage, in his express- 

 ed desire of securing for the poorest of the poor, the fractional change 

 they might be entitled to in the most limited purchases. f These 

 coins responded singularly in their mutual proportions, and contri- 

 buted in the form of once current money, definitive weights in copper 

 amounting severally to 34.5 and 17.8 grains, from which a very low 

 estimate was deduced of 34.8 and 17.4, as a normal official standard. 



* As. Ees. v. 95. 



f Shams-i-Siraj, in his work entitled the Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi, gives the- 

 following incidents regarding Firuz Shah's coinages : — 



