Indian Antiquary Vol 57

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

Page 60

44
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
MARCH, 1928
See Shwe Yoe. The Burman, p. 7: Obverse: a tô: and tô : tazėklo 1240 (A.D. 1878). Reverse: Yerlanábôn Nébyild: 5 mů sông dingd ; (royal stamp of the tô; and coin for use as 5 mů.)
(3) Shre-matsi, gold one-quarter piece: the quarter mohar. See Plato II, fig. 25. It was still common in 1890. Obverse : a chinde, or mythological lion, and chinde tazėkto 1228 (royal stamp of the lion, 1866 A.D.). Reverse: Yedandbón Nébyidò and 2 mit 1 pê tông : dinga : (coin for use as 21 mú), as 2 pèl mů.
(4) Shwe-muzi, gold mů piece. See Plate II, fig. 26. This was never common. Obverse : a peacock and tazekto (royal stamp). Reverse: a wreath, Yedanábón Nébyidò and 1 mů tông: 1214 (for uso as 1 mů, 1852 A.D.). The date is the accossion-date, as above explained.
(5) Shwe-pezi, gold pe piece. See figs. 27 and 28, Plate II. Two varieties, neither of which was ever common. Firstly: obverse, same as the shwé-matsi: reverse, 1 pe sông;dinga: (coin for use as 1 pe) and Yedanábôn Nebyído. Secondly:obverse, same as the shwe- múzí: reverse, 1 pê tông 1214.
Silver Coins. The silver coins were R. 1, R. , R. 1, R. , R. 7o; but in practice they were current as R. !Sas., 4as., 2as., and I anna. 46 They all had the same device. Obverse: a peacock with tazekto. Roverse: a wreath, outside it Yedandbôn Nebyido, and inside it the value and the same date, in each case 1214--A.D. 1852. The values were stated thus :- 1 kyat tông: dingd: coin to be used as R. 1: 5 mu tông: to be used as 5 můR. :1 mat tông; to be used as one-quarter=R. 1:1 mû ông : to be used as 1 mi=R. ' : 1 pê tông : to be used as 1 pe=R . All these coins were common, but being thrown out of currency they tended to become rare, especially those of the lower values. See figs. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, Plate II.
Concurrently with these were struck, in the earlier part of Mindôn's reign, quite a separate Het of silver coins, which were exceedingly rare, and I was able only to procure a specimen of the R. 1 : see Plate V, fig. 47. But I had seen in other collections R. 1, and R., and R. I, and later I saw three specimens of the quarter, rupee : see plate VI, figs. 1, 2 & 3. All have the same device. Obverse: a peacock of the type of fig. 34, Plate II, but on a stippled ground and no superscription. Reverse : precisely the same as for the like values in the set above described.
There is yet another variety of rupee figured by Phayre (Int. Num. Or., vol. III, pt. I, Plate V, 3), with the remark that it was issued for currency by Mindôn. It was sufficiently rare, for neither myself nor any other local collector I could consult seemed to have ever even heard of it, except in Phayre's account. Obverse: a peacock, tail spread and wings open, in a ring of rosettes: no superscription. Reverse : Thekkayit 1214 (Burmese era, 1214-1852 A.D.) in a wreath surrounded by rosettes. It will be perceived that this coin essentially differs in many particulars from those above described. 46
Scott, The Burman, pp. 299-300, says that, in 1882, the Burmese rupees were not up to standard, being worth only fourteen annas, but his statements on the subject of coinage must be received with caution.
Incorrectly struck silver coins through bad minting, which should not be confounded with the laungbanni coins to be described later on, were quite common until 1890 in Mandalay, and I procured several typical specimens, which I presented to the British Museum. See also Plate II, fig. 39, which I found in circulation in Mandalay, though it was an unstamped rupee from Mindôn's Mint.
Copper Coins. Mindôn issued a fine copper coin, not at all common even in 1890. Obverse: a peacock and udaung tazēkto 1227 (the royal stamp of the peacock, 1865 A.D.). Reverse : & wreath and inside it Yedanábôn Nebyido-1 pe tông: dingd: 1 4 bôn tabón (Ratanapunna, the Royal residence-coin to be used as one-fourth part of 1 pè). See fig. 34, Plate II.
45 There are two good specimens in the Indian Museum, Calcutta Mint Collection, Nos. 646, 847. Other specimens are 881, 882. No. 880 is a one-tenth rupee piece.
40 Soe No. 871 in the Indian Museum, Calcutta Mint Collection, described as "Rupee, Ava Mint," in the Catalogue, 1883, and as being referred to in Mint letter No. 791, 31 January 1854.