COINAGE OF TEAVANCOEE. 
55 
See Mateer's Travancore and its people, pp. 169 — 175, and 
Native Infe, pp. 130 and 388 ; and Shungoonny Menon's 
History of 'Iravancore, pp. 55 — 72. On each occasion 
specimens disposed of by the poorer Brahmans are pro- 
curable in the bazar but most are soon hoarded up. This 
ceremony has been performed occasionally in Travancore 
from ancient times and by the last eight Rajahs, since 
1758, without interruption. The last occasion was on 29th 
April 1892. 
Previous to 1850 no details are available. The last obser- 
vance before 1850 was in 1829. 
6 to 9. Tuldbhdra Kasu of 1850. 
Ohv, Legend, Sri Patmanabha (the national deity) 
in Mai. within dotted border. 
Rev. Blank. 
(Plate in Shungoonny Menon's Histori/, p. 72.) 
AV. Sizes four, viz "8, "67, 57, '5. 
10 to 13. Tuldhhdra Kdsu of 1870. 
Obv. Legend Sri Patmanabha in Mai. within wreaths 
and dotted border. 
Rev. Conch shell within wreaths and dotted border 
Edges roughly milled. 
AV. Four, said to weigh respectively 78'65, 39'23, 
19-6b, and 9-83. Sizes -94, -8, "63, "5. 
Altogether 43,421 tokens were struck. 
14 to 17. Tuldbhdra Kdsu of 1885. 
Same design and weights as Nos. 10 to 13. 
18. Gold Medals or Plates, value about Rs. 40, irregular 
in shape, with the figure of vSarasvati, goddess of 
learning rudely engraven, were presented by the 
Maharaja to Brahmans who passed examinations 
in religious rites and formulas. 
Plate I, fig. 2. 
19 to 22. Tuldbhdra Kdsu of 1892. 
