Western Kshatrapas: Rudrasimha I (178-197 AD.) O: Head of king right. R. Chaitya (3-arched hill), river below, crescent moon and sun above, Brahmi legend around. 14.mm 2.0g
No inscription to read the name. You can likely attribute it by making portrait and type comparisons.
Oh but the name is there... 12-5 o'clock name and titles. @Mat not Western Satraps but you found a prototype.
India Gujarat Chalukyas Gadhaiya Paisa Billon drachm 4.6g, 14mm, 3h; ca 9th cent AD Obv.: degenerated Indo-Sasanian style bust to right, sun and moon above Rev.: stylized fire altar, sun above left, crescent moon above right Reference: Deyell 156-159 India, Anonymous, Chalukyas of Gujarat, AR drachm (gadhaiya paisa), c. 11th century. Obv.: Degenerate Indo-Sasanian style bust right, sun and moon (crown?) above. Rev.: Stylized fire altar, sun (consisting of rosette of dots) above left, crescent moon above right. Reference: Deyell 158, Mitchiner Non-Islamic 427
Interesting, bought them at two different times. Attributes that I copied were correct as I posted (Except my photography of an upside bust for the 9th CE version...)
From an actual monastery? That's pretty cool Anoob. Did any Nepalese or Tibetan monasteries mint coins?
Don't those usually read the name and son of another name? I do not read the letters. The style really does not look like a standard coin so I assume this is very early or some such trick. The general format is also found with some things other than the hills in the center. I had trouble finding examples with centering I found acceptable. Kumaragupta I with Garuda bird reverse Valabhi with Trident
You may remember such a coin from a thread like this... https://www.cointalk.com/threads/top-of-the-world-lacchavi-style-ad-400-750.265872/ weather coin was minted in a monastery don't know but most likely everything was very religious back then.
I did a page back in 2011 on the degeneration of the style including the image below. I really am not sure how much of what I said on that page is accurate. I point out on the page that my page is not guaranteed but mostly to suggest these coins might be found interesting by some looking for something different. http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/gadpaisa.html
Very Early...no...but you saved yourself with " or some such trick" its actually "late" but is contemporary with the two coins posted give or take a generation. You are correct the style is unorthodox and is not a "standard" coin. I have some serious gripes with the centering of Indian coins.
I get the impression that dies were intentionally made too large for the flans to make it harder to make a die by copying a coin. No one coin has all the details. Some types are lucky to have half.
That's very plausible. It seems to be a common occurrence across several contemporary dynasties. Why only the silver coinage? Nice Garuda and excellent trident - now you need the bull.