A History of Assam c15.s1.6

c15.s1.6

As was usually the case in India, the standard coin of the Ahoms weighed a tola (two-fifths of an ounce) or 96 *ratis*. The peculiarity of the Ahom coins lay in their shape. Instead of being circular, they were octagonal, in accordance with the *sloka* in the *Jogini Tantra* which describes the country of the Ahoms as having eight sides. In other respects they bore a marked resemblance to the coins of the Koch kings. The earliest Ahom coins bear a date equivalent to 1543 A.D. and were struck by Suklenmung in the fourth year of his reign. More than a century elapsed before any of his successors followed his example. It then became the practice for each new ruler to mark his accession to the throne by the issue of coins bearing his name, but it was not until the reign of Rudra Singh that the mint was kept constantly at work and smaller coins weighing 48 and 24 *ratis* respectively were issued. Still smaller coins, weighing 12 and 6 *ratis*, were first issued by Sib Singh, and coins weighing 3 *ratis* by Gaurināth. A regular gold currency was introduced by Sib Singh; before his time the only gold coins extant are those of Suklenmung and Udayāditya.