Indian Antiquary Vol 57

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 57

MARCH, 1928)
CURRENCY AND COINAGE AMONG THE BURMESE
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“The coins of mixed Persian and Nagari and Burmese characters would follow the above in point of date, being probably struck at a time when the Persian and Nagari coins were sufficiently well established to have secured general acceptance for a certain value and it became safe to make some alteration in them.
"The purely Burmese character coins would follow on these similarly in due course.
“These three changes in the character of the Arakanese issues have been coincident with the entire dependence, the semi-dependence and the final independence of the Arakanese rulers with respect to those of Bengal, or on the other hand thoy may not. Only the reading of the legends and the comparison of what the legends tell us with outside history can settle these points.
In fact, when we are dealing with a minor dynasty its coinage is only primâ facie cvi. dence of the truth of the history it professes to teach us."
From the above information I am inclined to hold that the Arakanese coinage, as we have it, commenced in A.D. 1459 and was carried on regularly by the Arakanese kings to 2.1). 1784. and then in the reign of Mintayaji, i.e., Bódòp'aya, were issued the legendless coins, which European scholars held to be Pagoda medals of a much earlier date. This statement it will be observed is not in line with previous explanations. If my view is right the “Pagoda medals” are not ancient at all.
I will now give an account of Capt. White's collection, as it is important in the present connection. It consisted of 22 coins : Nos. 1, 14 and 2 others are Latter's Symbolical Coins, and the rest are described by
Phayre, op. cit., loc. cit., as under: No. 2 obv. inscribed :
963. Sinbyuthak'en Narád'ibbadi S'alimshya. 963. Lord of the White Elephant Naradhipati S'òlim Shya. B.E. 963=A.D. 1601. Naradhipati, the First (highes, King of men. S'olim Shya=
Zalim Shah. Zalim Shah 39 is a Muhammadan title, and the king mentioned is Minrâzaji in the list of Arakanese sovereigns of the Myauk U Dynasty.40 The
rev. "bears some unintelligible compound of Persian and Nagarî letters." No. 3 not described. No. 4 oby. inscribed :
984. S'inbyúthal'ei S'innithak'ei Thirithud'ammaráza. 981. Lord of the White Elephant, Lord of the Red Elephant, Thirithud'ammaráza. B.E. 981= A.D. 1622. Thirithu d'ammarâza can be divided as Thiri Thud'amma
Riza Sri Sudhamma Raja, the Great King of the Holy Law, or as Thiri Thu D'amma Raza=Sri Sura Dhamma Raja, the Great Hero, the King of the Law.
Rev. has an illegible Persian inscription." No. 5 oby. and rev. same inscription :
1000. S'inb'yülhaken S'innithakei Narabadiji. 1000. Lord of the White Elephant, Lord of the Red Elephant, Narabadiji. B.E. 1000=A.D. 1638, and as regards this Phayre writes: "The very year in
which the History of Bengal informs us that the 'Magh (Arakanese] Chief, who held Chittagong on the part of the Raja of Arakan,' delivered it up to the Mughal Viceroy, Islám Khân. This circumstance accounts for the Persian Inscription being wanting on this coin. This [Magh] Chief is called in the Bennali History, Mâkat Rai, a corruption of his (Arakanesc ) title, Mengro [Minre),
i.e., “War Chief." Narabadiji=Nara pati.ji, Great Lord of Men. No. 6 oby, and rev. are inscribed :
1007. S'innithal'ei S'inb'yuthaker Thadó Mintara. 39 This title would mean the Tyrant King, and one wonders if Muliaminadan moneyers thus revenged themselves on an ignorant Arakanese conqueror. Minrázaji would mean the Great Raja King.
40 This is the coin as to which Htoon Chan disagreed with Playre.