114 
Numismatic Supplement. 
[Extra No. 
The coin contains the following inscriptions : — 
Obverse Reverse 
1 Siva Singha Shah and also the Struck at Gargaon in 1651, 
moon-faced Begam Pramatheswari being the 15th year of (the 
Shah. king’s) auspicious reign. 
The year 1651 is of the Saka Era which corresponds to A.D. 
1729. Siva Singha was an Ahom king who reigned from Saka 1636 
to Saka 1666 (A.D. 1714-1744) according to Kasi Nath Tamuli Phu- 
kon’s Buranji. 
The interesting point about the coin is the Persian inscription 
which is unusual, coins of this period generally bearing an inscrip¬ 
tion in the Assamese character and being octagonal in shape, not 
square. The tiger or rather dragon occurs on all the Ahom coins 
It will be observed that the coin bears the name of the Queen 
Pramatheswari in addition to that of the Baja, the explanation being 
as follows: At a period in Siva Singha’s reign the Parbatia Gossain 
and certain Pandits predicted disaster to the reigning Prince who, 
in consequence, abdicated in favour of his Queen Phuleswari whose 
name was then changed to Pramatheswari. The Queen’s name was 
then struck on the coins in conjunction with that of her consort 
the Raja Siva Singha (see page 132 of Gunabhiram Barua’s Buranji, 
Calcutta edition). 
P. R. T. Gurdon. 
The find contained no less than 143 of these coins. 
H. N. W. 
30. A local copper currency in the DewUs State , Central India. 
(With plate.) 
The following note has been communicated by the Minister to 
His Highness the Raja of Dewas, Junior Branch, through Mr. W. E. 
Jardine, formerly Assistant to the Hon’ble the Agent to the Governor- 
General in Central India. Similar notes on the other local currencies 
alluded to in the Minister’s memorandum would be interesting, it 
being desirable to preserve records of such local currencies before 
they disappear under the spread of Brit ish Indian coinage. 
H. N. W. 
“Inquiry into the payment of wages to relief-labourers has forced 
1 The following would appear to be a more literal translation : “ The coin of 
Siva Singha Shah resembling the sun is struck by order of the Queen Pramathes¬ 
wari Shah.”—H. N. W. 
