Indian Antiquary Vol 48

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 59

MAY, 1919] NOTES ON CURRENCY AND COINAGE AMONG THE BURMESE
A comparison of Prinsep's tables and statements 39 with those above given by myself will be found a useful contribution towards this phase of the present subject. I therefore record below what he has said word for word in his Useful Tables, merely changing the spelling of the Burmese words so as to conform with that above used.
In explanation of the terms used, he says, p. 36, that the following will serve as examples of the mode of evaluating bullion:
Dain, kômûdet is dain 9 per cent. better (than ywetni).
Dain, ngâmûdet is dain 5 per cent. better.
Ywetni is standard (85 touch).
Ywetni kyatkè or tasègè, is 1 tikal or 1/10 alloy (meaning 1/10 weight of alloy added to standard).
Ywetní, chaukseng jätke, is 6 tena 5 tikal alloy (meaning 65 per cent. alloy added). Ywetnijo:, hali is ywetní (and half alloy).
At p. 50 he gives the following valuable table of assay, in which the reader will find no difficulty in referring his transliterations to mine.
ASSAY OF AVA SILVER.
Burmese denomination.
Bán (supposed to be pure) Kharoobát (shell circled) Dain, ta Kyat det
Do. Ko moo det
Do. Sheet moo det
pure silver.. 5 %
10
9
8
7
5
Meaning of Ava Assay Report.
20
30
40
50
.. 60
70
80
90
33
11
Do. Kwon, neet moo det
Do. nga moo det
Modain, (alloyed dain)
2
Yowetnee (red flowered or star).. Ava standard
Do. Куа
10 %
Do.
tshay nga Kyat gé
15
Do.
nheet tshay gé
Do.
thoun tshay é
Do.
le tsbay gé
Do.
Do.
Do.
nga tshay gé Kyouk tshay.. Khwonnheet tsay gé sheet tahay gé.. Do. Ko tshay gé Yowetnee gyan .. Rangoon Yowetnee
Do.
"
33
31
"1
33
under silver above standard
11
do.
do.
do.
do.
alloy do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
:::::
yowetace, alloy 5 per cent. better than Ava standard.
Touch.
Calcutta Assay Report.
55
Br. 16.5
100 95 Br. 6.5 93.5 Br. 2 92.6 Standard. 91.8 Wo. 4 90.9 Wo. 3 89.7 Wo. 5 Wo. 42 85.0 Wo. 4 77.3 Wo. 14 73.9 Wo. 38.5 70.8 Wo 34 65.4 Wo. 72 60.7 Wo. 77 56.7 Wo. 88 53.1 Wo. 109 50.0 Wo. 107 4.72 Wo. 112 44.7 Wo 116 42.9 Wo. 131 90.0 Wo. 4
Touch.
Value of
100 tikal in Fd. Rs.
98.6 151.57 94.3 145.16 92.5 142.28 91.7 141.00 90.0 138.44 90.4 139.08 87.6 137.79 74,1 114.08 90.0 138.44 85.8 132.03 75.6 116.32 77.5 119.21? 61.6 94.85 59.6 91.65 55.0 84.60 50.4 71.14 51.3 72.42 49.3 69.22 43.5 66.65 37.0 57.04 90.0 138.44
"A deduction of 1 per cent. should be expected from the produce of Ava Bullion on account of the vitreous coat of litharge which adheres to the lumps.
39 Some of the silver given to Prinsep to examine is probably still in existence in the Indian/ Museura, Calcutta Mint Collection: see Nos. 982, 983, 984, 991, 992.