A friend bought a collection of mostly Roman coins, with which I have been helping him with identification. These were in there - I suspect Indian subcontinent, and the first one in particular I am sure I have seen before, but can anyone help? Coin A is about 10mm diameter. Coin B is about 15mm roughly square. Coin C is about 15mm longest side. Coin D is about 17mm longest side. All appear to be Silver of some grade, although A has a slight gold tint. Thanks!
Nice coins! C and D look to be from the Maurya Empire, 321-187 BC. http://www.londoncoincentreinc.com/india-mauryan-empire-punch-mark-silver-ca-321-to-187-bc-2/
Bump... Thank you for the ID on C and D - anyone able to help me with A and B? I am sure I have seen A before but I can't read the writing... Thanks,
@PaddyB Old thread I know. Recalled seeing the top coin in this post when I saw this coin from an ebay seller I am doing business with... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Feudatory-...373294?hash=item34179b9bae:g:vD8AAOSwm49dUl9g
Yes thanks for that. This is what I got as a full answer on Coin A: "India, Hindu dynasties, Feudatories and successors of Vijayanagar, Saluva chiefs of Haduvali, Saluva Narasimha, c. 1450’s, AR unit, lion with raised pawn to l./Nagari legend: “Rajadhiraja”. Ref.: Mitchiner, The coinage and history of southern India - part one - Karnataka - Andra (London 1998), p.154-155." The other 3 were all Mauryan empire in various grades.
That was the initial response on zeno.ru, but further research came up with the different answer of the "Feudatories of Vijayanagar" quoted above. Tripura used a very simialr creature on their coins, but much later than the above apparently. See: https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=230670&cat=all&ppuser=2438
That sure SUCKS I lost only one coin in post. It was an FDC Aureus of Trajan Decius/ Triton I CNG. I paid 5K for it. Anyway, it was probably stolen in customs. I ended up getting a refund and used it it win a FDC Elagalabus Aureus in Triton 2
Transiting through ISC at JFK? I have lost two there. Both had last scans in the early morning hours on a Sunday morning.
One of those was from me I believe - the Sinkiang coin. I still feel a bit annoyed by that! Not just that it was stolen but that nothing seems to be possible to report the thieving going on in ISC JFK. It makes me unsure about posting anything to the US anymore.
One sure way to prevent this/ have coins sent as "neutral" registered letter post. No value/ description. No temptation for whoever to pilfer them.
Unfortunately we are required by our postal service to put customs forms on anything other than paper-only letters, and these have a description and value on them. Even if we ignore that rule, registered post, if it is to include insurance, requires a declaration of value - which again alerts the crooks.
Yes it was. Out of your control. It is a loophole in the process. CBP does not "track" or confirm possession on the items and it is up to the U.S.P.S. to scan the items inbound and/or outbound. When U.S.P.S. looks at the scan record, they just say it is "stuck in Customs". The item really falls into a black hole where it is vulnerable to theft. It is real easy to slip a coin into your pocket without being noticed. It is unfortunate that the subject came up in your thread. It was not intentional. It is just a coincidence that I have another coin that has been lost in the system. This time it was a Tripura Rupee.
Its way better to ask that coin/s be sent via registered letter/ no insurance/ just as "token" no value. It will never go MIA/ since the incentive to steal is "zero".
