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322
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
NOVEMBER, 1889.
chiefs of Patiala, Nabha, Jînd, and Kotla-Mâlêr the right to coin within their respective States. The now extinct State of the Sardârs of Kaithal also seems to have acquired the right to use the mme coinage within its territories, but how or when I have been unable to ascertain. Besides these the Sikh State of Kapurthala and the extraordinary adventurer, George Thomas, RAJA of Hansi, are said to have each had an independent coinage, of which more anon.
Now the coins of Ahmad Shah bear a distinctive legend, as is well known. It runs thus :
obverse
حكم شد از قادر بیهون با حمد باد شاہ مکہ زن برسیم و زر ازارچ ماهي تا بهاء سنہ جلوس میمنت مانوس ضرب
reverse The words and figures following the words ungle and your naturally vary with the year and place. In plate I., figure a, I, give a fine specimen of the full legend, bearing the date I r, i.e., A.H. 1173, (A.D. 1761), and the year of the reign 14, and showing the mint as
دارالخلا ف شاه جهان آباد ,that is, Dehli
In the fourth year of his reign Ahmad Shah coined at Sarhand, better known as Sirhind, now a town in the Patiala State. The exact form of his coin I do not know, but, for reasons given further on, it can be guessed from the impressions of the die given below, which is that now in use at Köţ18-Maler, and which I am able to introduce here through the kindness of the Khân Sahib, 'Inayat 'All Khåó, brother of the Nawab of Kotlá-Málêr.
Now the point for the present argument is this :- from that day, nearly 140 years ago, to this, the coins of all these States - Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Kaithal and Koția-Maler, With the exception of some of the issues of the Nâbhâ mint, have never changed either the legend, the date, or the mint. The dies have been cut and re-cut over and over again, but no material change has ever taken place beyond adding, in some cases only, the mark or sign of the particular chief issuing the coin. To all outward appearance they are all - even those of & year ago - the coins of Ahmad Shâh minted in the fourth year of his reign (A.D. 1751)! Nábhá alone has had the originality to vary the type to a limited extent, using for that purpose, of later years, the ordinary legend of the Sikh coins of the late Maharajas of Lahôr. The issues of the Sardûrs of Kaithal show a falling off in the artistic capacity of the moneyers of this distinctly "Minor State" in comparison with the others above noticed, that will be found to be specially valuable and interesting in the present connection.
The History of the modern Native States of the Panjab, being of so recent & character, is to a certain extent well known and is therefore of much value as evidence for
• This is a large thin gold coin which belongs to the British Museum, to the authorities of which I am indebted for the reproduotion. It may not be a real coin at all, but one of those medals that used to be struck in India to be thrown amongst the populace on special occasions, or it may have been strook in commentoration of the capture of Dehll in that year, for 1178 A.H. was the year of the notorious massacre he caused to be committed there.
• I say to a "certain extent" advisedly, for it is much more obscure than one would sappone possible.
