4 
SETHUPATI COINS. 
They are of two sizes, corresponding somewliat irregu- 
larly with the massa and half-massa of the above series, and 
are uniformly of copper or bronze, neither gold nor silver 
specimens having been brought to light thus far. Captain 
Tufnell in his article on Fanams in the J.A.S.B. figures 
and describes a small gold piece (on one side of which is 
seen a figure standing by an altar, &g.), and expresses the 
opinion that it may be a coin of the Sethupati dynasty, but 
as it is unlike any known Sethupati coins, I think it were 
safer to wait for more specimens and clearer evidence, before 
accepting it as such. 
The coins of the later series, also of copper only, are 
uniformly small, and very rude in device and execution. 
The one face in those figured always shows only the Tamil 
letters of the word Sethupati, while the other side is taken 
up with one or another of various devices of hidden import. 
A few coins of corresponding size in the collection of 
Captain Tufnell also bear the same word in Nagari on one 
side and on the other sometimes the figure of a god (Hanu- 
man or Graruda usually), and on others that of an animal. 
Those however in both characters are like the earlier series 
in being of two sizes, the larger size weighing about 60 grs. 
and the smaller about 38 grs. 
Supposing from their similarity to the Sinhalese series 
that the earlier series of Sethupati coins were in use about 
the eleventh or twelfth century, when could this later series 
have replaced them and come into currency. We know 
what style of coins were in use by the Pandyan or ratlier 
Nayakka line in the time of Visvanatha, and it is fail' to 
suppose that if the re-instated Sethupatis had a coinage of 
their own at that time they would be likely to imitate the 
types or in some way recognize the style of the Nayakka 
■coinage. But these coins are utterly dissimilar to tliose 
known to have obtained cxu'reney at that time. Nor could 
these coins of the later series well belong to any still later 
