History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c8.132

c8.132

In this respect Barani is supported by Nizam-al-Din and Firishta who probably copied him.⁶⁴ Yahyā who must have consulted other works than Barani's Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi and Badāoni who copies him and Hājji-ad-Dabīr who is also an independent authority state that gold coins were given in exchange for those of copper. They make no mention of silver. Their statement seems more probable as the scarcity of silver, which is established by numismatic evidence would not permit exchange through silver on any considerable scale. Ranking in a footnote to his translation of Badāoni's Muntakhab-ut-tawārīkh (Vol. I, pp. 306-7) raises a doubt whether the coins were exchanged at their relative metal value or their face value. Barani is explicit on the subject. He says clearly that those who brought copper tokens to the treasury received gold tankahs, Shashkanis and dokanis in return. The coins were of course exchanged according to their face value, otherwise how would it be possible to allay popular discontent, which was the chief object of the Sultan in issuing the decree of withdrawal? Besides, exchange at the relative metallic value would hardly redound to the credit of the Sultan, and would be utterly inconsistent with the policy he pursued in commending his new currency to the people. Badāoni means what he says when he writes that those who brought copper coins to the treasury received for them gold tankahs in equal value.⁶⁵ Thousands of men from different parts of the empire who had flung away the token coins, knowing them to be utterly worthless, into the obscure corners of their houses diligently traced them out, and large heaps were brought to the treasury,