The Only Guy Collecting These- Ceylon Nummis

Over the last couple of months I have been able to procure some of those Imitation Roman nummis from Sri Lanka, that were discovered in a hoard in 2014. Truly a numismatic curiosity. I would like to share a one of the better examples of the lot. I have isolated a few that are really stand up coins compared to the others.

Who knows what the intended reverse design is? I don't and I dont think anyone does. We can see in the bottom right field what appears to be a leg below the knee and what looks like the top of Srivasta temple. Common on coinage tied to the Hindu god Vishnu. See the silver coin from the early Mon culture c. AD 300, for a good example, and again here on coin from Pyu., c. AD 800.




The obverse bust is quite appealing even considering the flat strike. we can see a nice Roman nose and a very 4th century haircut.

Taprobane
Anonymous (AD 550-850)
AE Nummis 12.3 mm x 0.64 grams
Obverse: Emperors Bust right.
Reverse: Top of temple, Leg and foot. (?)
Ref: None yet.

 

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Leg, upper body, extended arm and spear copying a fallen horseman type?

 

I can see that....sorta.

 

Neat additions, as usual!

I like the first one best.

 

Fascinating. So is Sri Lanka the furthest known place where Roman imitation coins can be found? And how far did Roman trade extend?

 

The Pandya brought Roman coins from mainland India to Sri Lanka sometime in the 6th century. There was a Roman colony on Sri Lanka way back when.

 

Here are a couple more of these from the same hoard.

 

AN, your going to have to write a reference book on these coins!

this one can be, Noob 1....followed by noob 2,3,4, and 5!

really weird, cool coins.

 

Here is the only official Roman I have in my collection, that was found on Sri Lanka at the bottom of a gem mine.
Arcadius.

 

I read a paper a while back where they found Roman glassware in Japan.
Rome and Han China had an understanding of each other, though the distance between the two made accessible communication almost impossible.
For more see
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Roman_relations

Edit- Here is a newspaper headline of the Roman glass found in Japan..
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/japanese-tomb-found-roman-empire-artifact_n_1621090.html

 

I'm glad that you're happy ... these coins must be speakin' to ya?

cheers, coin-bro

 

that glass probably arrived via way of sevaral intermediaries

finding a particular culture's artifact in a certain distant region does not automatically mean direct trade

 

I know right. Ancient Roman coins have been discovered in Australia... in my collection

 

The last coin looks like two soldiers and standards. Another in the middle could be a domed campgate.

 

Those coins are very interesting ANoob.

 

There is a good selection of Roman imitations on zeno.ru. So, you might want to head over there and check them out. Might get a match...

http://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=4400

 

Neato! There is an interesting read here on the "Third and Forth Brass"

http://lakdiva.org/coins/roman/roman_indo_cu.html

 

check out the ancient stripper!

http://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=31640

 

Considering these pictures of the 1990's hoard the condition of my examples aint all that bad.

 

Ancientnoob, you're a hero. I bought a small number of Roman imitations from Sri Lanka back in the 1980's, and never found out anything about them. Thanks to you I have some reference.

Lanka 1: Rev. Two soldiers with standard. 12 mm, 1,12 gr. Sandy patina.

Lanka 2: Rev. Something like a candelabra. 12 mm, 0,89 gr.

Lanka 3: Rev. Two concentric circles. 8 mm, 0,32 gr.