We all have heard the jokes about coins only a mother could love, well this is no different. Certainly an aesthetic eye sore, this particular specimen is exceptionally small and thin for the type. The coin is not very worn but suffers from an unfortunate chip. although the design is well preserved. These coins generally survive in poor condition due to the alloy used similar to the plaque coins I was talking about sometime ago. There is no legend on the coins, only a Mane-less lion facing right or left and a reverse with 4 dots within a circle. The design seems relatively unremarkable compared to the coins of the Greeks or Romans. That might be true, yet here we are. These coins are dated by location. They around just under the great temple Jenaramayatava and are therefore in use at the time of construction. The Jenaramayatava at the time was the tallest and largest brick structure in the world. It was built on the site of the once great Buddhist monastery that was destroyed during Maha Sen's persecution of the Theravāda Buddhists. Recognizing his error and the widespread rebellions that arose as a result. He sought to redeem himself and his throne by building this very structure, which stands to this day. In the modern period the stupa was over grown and a few years ago restoration began and the great dome was cleared and the bricks were manufactured and replaced in the original ancient method. Maha Sen is remembered for his architectural achievements and the creation of more than a dozen artificial lakes through out the island. He ordered the river Minneriya to be dammed thus creating the Minneriya tank. (pictured below as it is today) Circumference 21 miles ; Depth 44 feet. Maha Sen's reign is known to us from the Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle that records the history of the Kings of Sri Lanka. It begins in BC 543 and abruptly comes to an end with the death of King Maha Sen AD 304. This numismatic specimen comes from the period just before the influx of Roman coinage replaced all other forms of currency on the island and just before the expansion of Anuradhapura city limits which would later include a quarter for foreign traders most of whom where Roman, who brought with them nummis by the ton. Statue believed to Maha Sen. This specimen is known as the Mane-less lion and is considered an early dynastic symbol of the Sinhala Kingdom. On the reverse, four dots within a circle has an unknown meaning. It is thought to be either a degenerated Lakshmi akin to the plaque coins that proceeded it. The true meaning is unknown. These coins are known in 3 sizes this one being the smallest originally about 1.0 grams. All of these coins are extremely rare and I consider it a real honor to own to such a piece. Anuradhapura, Taprobane Maha Sen of Anuradhapura (r. AD 277 - 304) AE Unit 13 mm x 0.52 grams Obverse: Maneless Lion right. Reverse: 4 dots within a circle Reference: H.W. Codrington: Ceylon Coins and Currency (Colombo, 1924, repr.1975) Pl. II 18-19. Osmund Bopearachchi & Rajah M. Wickremesinhe: Ruhuna, an Ancient Civilization re-visited (Sri Lanka 1999) #H27-29 Prov. ex. Kushan Ranaweera (Sri Lanka) 2015
Well... location pictures are pretty Looks like you're cornering the market on lesser-known eastern empires. Go Noob!
Thanks Bud! Yes the coin is a high lead content copper alloy and quite brittle as such. How lucky we are such an example survives.
Very interesting writeup and another 'unusual' coin...i envy your ability to see beyond the obvious and appreciate scarce and rare coins for the history they all contain have within them.
Interesting story and coin ! Maha Sen is not really a name, but just means Great Lord. Nice to see you delve into the coinage of southern India and Sri Lanka. I will try not to compete with you and limit myself to the northern region !
As long as you stay north of the river Narmada we are good, the other collectors should be worried about you crossing the Rhine.
Great history lesson, and great coin. Despite the chip it's basically all there in good detail. You've got a complete lion and you're only missing some of the circle and one dot. I don't know these coins, but if they're extremely rare and typically rough, I'd say you got a choice example.
what everyone else said....another cool eastern coin indeed and another excellent write up AN! and welcome KR!
Oh my God!! => is that an ancient ear? ... jokes ... Ummm, it's pretty gnarly, but it does have a pretty cool lion on it (so *tick* ... winna)
I really like how 600 yrs later they finally turned that corner and made some high quality coins, I can kind of understand why they stuck with it well into the 15th century.
