Well I really hope you guys are sitting down for this one! Remember those really obscure Lakshmi plaque coins from Sri Lanka? If not, you can feast your eyes here... https://www.cointalk.com/threads/feast-your-eyes-anuradhapura-kingdom-plaque-coins.267075/ If you have not yet gotten your fill you can read @Loong Siew 's thead here... https://www.cointalk.com/threads/unusual-coins-series-ceylonese-lakshmi-plaques.269493/ Now if you have gone this far and are still interested, then you are in for a treat... The rare Lakshmi plaque coins come several varieties many with subtle and hardly noticeable differences. Your can see info on my seated variety here http://coins.lakdiva.org/lakshmi/slakshmi_s1.html Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura Anonymous AE Full Seated Plaque (c. BC 29 - AD 297) 31 mm x 21 mm x 2.99 grams Obverse: Goddess Lakshmi facing, Seated. - No legend. Reverse: Clockwise revolving Swastika tree Railed. Uncertain symbols. Note: Rare Variety. Great condition.
This post is why I like CT. There is more to ancient numismatics than just Greece and Rome and it's interesting to see coins from other cultures. Thanks for posting this!
@Ancientnoob ! That is awesome!!! I think I have the baby-sister: Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura Anonymous, 1st C. BCE PB 1/8 Lakshmi 1.1g, 14.1mm x 7.8mm RARE OBV: Hindu Goddess Lakshmi facing. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. She was a beauty and the wife of Vishnu REV: (blank)
The variant posted here by @Ancientnoob is indeed something rare that is hardly known. The condition is excellent for type.. I'm glad @Ancientnoob is continuing to expand our exposure to such lesser known coins from various other cultures
I don't know about this issue, but the sitting Lakshmi design was indeed used on coins for more than a 1000 years. Here a hunnic example from about 500 AD:
I may have little to contribute, but I too love these non-classical culture coins and threads about them.
It's fascinating that the aesthetic was so different in the East. Coins could be used in commerce for centuries. They didn't need to be withdrawn or replaced for the sake of political propaganda.
