I8S3 ] 
G. Bidie —The Pagoda or Varaha coins. 
51 
Oh. Rude figure of Vishnu, as Veukateswara, and his two wives. 
Per. Convex granulated and with a symbol or letter in the centre. 
Weight .—5255 grains. 
PI. Ill, Fig. 21. This coin is known as “Porto Novo,” “Scott,” 
“ Purunki,” &c. pagoda. It appears to have been first struck by the Dutch, 
and to have had an extensive circulation. Subsequently it was copied by 
agents of the East India Company, as is evident from the following extract 
of a letter from the Madras Council, to the Deputy Governor of Fort Saint 
David (near Cuddalore), under date the 21st July 1G91.* “ We doubt 
the Dutch will make a clamour at your- coining their pagodas and decry 
them all they can ; however, make the experiment, but be sure to equal 
them in all respects both in fineness and weight and stamp, and we shall 
give them all the reputation we can here and to the southward and could 
you effect it, currently it would be of great service to the Plonourable 
Company in their trade in those parts, but if you fail you must make 
another stamp.” 
Oh. Figure of Vishnu. 
Pev. Convex granulated. 
Weight .—52 2375 grs. 
PI. Ill, Fig. 23. This is the old Star pagoda of Madras, and is some¬ 
times termed “ Company varaha” and also “ Puli varaha.” It was the 
form of the star pagoda current prior to that described under fig. 24, but 
is not of such good quality as the old pagoda, fig. 19. The former, accord¬ 
ing to Kelly,t is 19|- carats fine, whereas the latter is about 20f carats. 
Shekleton in the Assay Tables^ says the star pagoda weighs on an average 
52 - 400 gr., and contains 42'550 gr. of pure metal. 
Oh. A figure intended, apparently, for Vishnu with a star above the 
head. 
Pev. Convex granulated and with a star having 5 rays. 
Weight of one specimen 53'0875 grs. and of another 52 G25 grs. 
This is the coin in which all public and private accounts were kept, 
and all dues and salaries paid, for a number of years. 
PI. Ill, Fig. 24. This is a double star pagoda of the Honourable East 
India Company, and is the most modern development of the coin. There 
is also a single gold pagoda with precisely the same obverse and reverse ; 
and half and quarter pagodas of the same type were struck in silver. It is 
of this form that Moor in his “ Hindu Pantheon” says, “ this coin I 
imagine to be intended for the use of Madras, and cannot but lament that 
* Garsten’s “Manual of South Arcot,” p. 33. 
(• “ Universal Cambist”, Vol. X, p. 90. 
| “ Assay Tables of Indian and other coins,” p. 11. 
