1867.] 



The Initial Coinage of Bengal. 



71 



been erroneously associated with the mintages of Bengal proper, — I 

 allude to the money of Taj -ud -din Firiiz, whose date has, in like 

 manner, been misapprehended by Marsden (p. 575), and by Mr. 

 Laidlay, who follows his interpretation (J. A. S. B. xv. p. 330). The 

 subjoined examples will show that the supposed date of 897 a. h. should 

 be 807 ; and the consecutive numbers on the different coins now cited 

 establish the fact that the potentate whose name they bear reigned at 

 least from 804 to 823, having a capital entitled Hdjidbud, which may with 

 sufficient reason be identified with the Hdjipur of modern nomenclature. 

 The introductory piece A. seems to have been issued by Taj-ud-din's 

 predecessor, and their several mintages alike depart from the ordinary 

 style of Bengal coinages in the phraseology and finished execution of 

 the Arabic legends, as well as in the weights of their currencies, which 

 approximate closely to the full Dehli standard, in contrast to the re- 

 duced southern range of 16G grains. 

 A. Silver. Size, viij. Weight, 165 grs. Unique. A. H. 797. 



Oby. 



ui*!r 



)UJ| 



./cLs^i ^J 



u 



Mi JaKi 



Rev. 



V1 / 



B. Silver. Size from vij to viiij. Weight, 168 grs., the full and 

 sustained weight of several specimens. 



Obv. 





Kev. 



Ljjjf ,13 



A«P 



Obverse, lettered surface. 

 Reverse, square area, with imperfect marginal records, usually con- 

 sisting of ^Ij Ij^U. o^^ ^yi with the figured dates at the foot, rang- 



