PAXDYAN COINS. 
139 
one symbol, that of the fish, and which have their inscriptions 
only in Nagari. These he places in the eighth or ninth 
century. All other types he refers to a later period. The 
change from the fish type to the Ceylon type he finds to 
have been subsequent to the well-known invasions of Rajen- 
dra Chola, and concludes " that the change took place some- 
where about the eleventh or twelfth century.'^ ^ The latter 
conclusion is abundantly supported and beyond controversy, 
but the former seems to have been less fully estabKshed, 
since coins are at hand which have for their only symbol 
the fish, and yet have changed from Nagari to Tamil as the 
language of their inscriptions. An example of this is a coin 
of (G<sT^<55sri_ir/rLD«57-) Kothanda Raman. If it be said that 
such coins are only later imitations of the coins of an earlier 
period, it may be replied that the style of the Tamil letters 
is consistent with that of the alphabets taken from the earliest 
Tamil inscriptions, and it may be further urged that no 
sufficient reason is apparent to account for such a reversion 
in style. Further search for, and comparison of, coins of 
this period will lead to safer conclusions than can now be 
arrived at. 
The object of the present paper is to bring forward two or 
three evident corrections on the readings of Sir Walter Elliot, 
and to publish such coins of the Pandyan series as have not 
heretofore been put before the numismatic public. All the 
coins now figured are of the later period ; all are of copper ; 
and all were found in the Madura district. Of nearly all, 
a very few duplicates are available for exchange. 
Referring to Sir Walter Elliot's volume, I call atten- 
tion first to PI. Ill, figs. 136, 137, p. 152 F, which are 
read Samara Kolahala. This reading is plainly incorrect. 
Whatever the reading should be, it certainly cannot be that. 
The coins are not uncommon : there is a third in the series 
which is not figured by Sir Walter Elliot, in which the read- 
' Sir W. Elliot : " Coins of Southern India," p. 119. 
