166 
HINTS TO COIN-COLLECTOES 
Of the Bahmani issues so few specimens occur in the 
south that the collector is not likely to come across any. 
They are generally thicker than those common to the Delhi 
and other Pathan mints, and usually have the "word 
after the ruler's name. Such, however, is far from heing 
the case with the contemporary coins in the more southerly 
province. Coins of Ahsan Shah frequently occur, and he 
was followed by a line of rulers, all of 
PI. Ill, No. 35. f 1, • ■, • 
whom appear to nave issued money m 
their own names. For two reasons, however, I defer all 
notice of these for the present and propose to devote a 
separate paper to their consideration ; firstly, because I am 
in hopes that, before it appears, the series of these rare and 
hitherto unnoticed coins may be rendered far more complete 
than at present ; and secondly because though hitherto unpub- 
lished they are of the gx'eatest interest alike to the historian 
and numismatist, and, consequently, deserve a far more 
exhaustive treatment than could be here afiorded them. At 
be used in all commercial transactions. The Hindus brought larg-e quantities 
of copper to the mint and had it coined, and so made for themselves 
enormous profits ; and purchasing goods and exporting them to other 
countries received in exchange gold and silver money. Goldsmiths also 
manufactured coins in their own houses and passed them in the bazaai-s. 
After some time things came to such a pass that at distant places the Sultan's 
edict was not observed and the people took the king's coins only at their 
intrinsic value in copper, and speculators brought them thence to those parts 
of the country where the order remained in force and there exchanged them 
for gold and silver. In this way the copper currency became by degi-ees so 
redundant that, all at once, it xitterly lost credit and was regarded as mere 
rubbish, while gold and silver became even more precious than before and 
commerce was entirely deranged. When the Sultan saw that his measm-e 
had failed, and that he could not, even by punishment, bring the whole 
population to obedience, he issued a decree ordaining that every one who had 
a royal coin might bring it to the treasury and receive in exchange a gold or 
silver coin of the old stamp. He thought by this means to restore his 
copper currency to credit, so that it might again be accepted in exchanges : 
but the copper money which had been accumulating in people's houses and 
been thro-n-n on one side as worthless was immediately collected and brought 
to the treasury to be exchanged for gold and silver coin ; and the copper tokens 
still remained as little current as before, while all the royal treas\iries were 
emptied and general financial ruLu fell upon the whole kingdom." 
