86 C. J. Rodgers — Coins supplementary of the Patlian Icings. [No. 2, 



Sbah are extremely rare, while I have only seen one of Ibrahim Shah and not 

 one of Sikandar Shah's. General Cunningham had a large copper one of 

 Sikandar Shah. Mr. Delmerick published one of Ibrahim's. The large 

 coins of the otlier three are common, the greater numbers of course being 

 Sher Shah's and Islam's. I have not as yet come across a small coin of 

 Ibrahim's. This is one of the tilings I am looking for. The Sikandar 

 Shah, whose coin is given in this plate No. 2, I believe to be the one wlio 

 reigned in 795 for 45 days. A comparison of this coin with No. 275, 

 p. 311 of Thomas, of which I have a most perfect specimen, leads me to 

 tliis conclusion. Now if a king wlio reigned only 45 days could in that 

 short time get out no less thanj^ye kinds of coins, I think we have a right 

 to look out for the same number of varieties in the coins of kings who 

 reigned longer. Scientific and systematic search with duly chronicled 

 results ought to lead to much fuller knowledge respecting the coins of the 

 Pathan's and their successors, and indeed with respect to the whole of the 

 coins of the Empire of India from the time of Alexander the Great and 

 Chandra Gupta to the times of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Empress of 

 India and Queen of England. 



As old coins are found, they find their way into the bazaars, where, 

 if tliere is no purchaser at other than bullion rates, they are ruthlessly 

 melted down, the silver being good, in order to supply metal to the makers 

 of jewels. In this way undoubtedly thousands of coins disappear annually 

 of which our museums and cabinets are standing in need. Meanwhile 

 inasmuch as no Indian museum has its coins catalogued, no one knows 

 what any collection may contain or may be in need of. Collectors would 

 undoubtedly often present coins to museums Avhich want them, if these 

 wants were known. Students cannot use our Indian museums profitably 

 until they know what the museums contain : and yet the end and object 

 of all museums is an educational one. Hence I cannot help bringing this 

 matter forward as one of the greatest importance in making our museums 

 more useful in the promotion of historical studies. 



Several other new varieties of coins including a rupee of Shams ud 

 din Altamsh, a tankah of silver of the same king with rays round one side 

 to represent the sun (Shams), a new variety of Reziah's and one of Kutub 

 ud din Mubarak Shah's together with several others must stand over to a 

 future paper, in which I hope to be able to show that No. 158, p. 190 of 

 Thomas was struck in Talang (Telingana), just the same as No. 11 of 

 Plate IV of the Society's Journal of last year. 



