Im only gonna be posting ancients that are interesting/rare or want more info of from now on since other stuff gets ignored alot. This I know is common & got it for less then $10 but still find it interesting. I have read Dougs page on them too. Im assuming the info is correct after some research. My photos with Iphone 4s & loupe. INDIA, CHALUKYAS of GUJARAT (1030 - 1120 A.D.) AR Drachm (gadhaiya paisa) O: Degenerate Indo-Sasanian style bust right, sun and moon (crown?) above. R: Stylized fire altar, sun (consisting of rosette of dots) above left, crescent moon above right. 4.4g 17mm Deyell 158, Mitchiner Non-Islamic 427
I like these coins a lot. They were from remnants of Sassanian local rulers who fled into India. I have them from ones looking mostly like Sassanid drachms, all the way down to debased, stylized coins of low silver value, and most in between. Its kind of like a study in debasement and what happens when the styles don't mean anything to anyone, and are just copies of copies. Yours is about 1/3rd of the way to debasement. The first ones were larger, and the reverse more recognizable as a pillar. Yours is still good silver, but dots are replacing details, showing the original design did not mean anything to the die cutter, and he was simply imitating prior coins. They debase down to about 12 mm coins, of mostly copper composition, that unless you know what its supposed to be just looks like dots and a couple lines. Chris Btw I am not sure about 10th century, when I first saw it was thinking more 9th. I have not seen Doug's page on them, so will check it out. Edit: Saw Doug's site. Cool. I should send him some photos of some of mine to fill in a couple of gaps. I have always been interested in these, and have bought them whenever I find a new one. I see you are probably thinking yours is similar to his coin F. You could be right, and maybe 10th century is correct.
I like the style of this (mean look on his face) and the exceptionally ragged flan for these. While the workmanship is not perfect, the sun and moon still made it on the flan but the sun dots and the rest of the design more than some. I can accept Chris' 1/3 figure and agree that pinning them down too close is probably not safe. It is the sort of coin I would buy.
