Coins of Raja Raja Chola

[kats17]

Thanks For the encouragement Peter
I will try to post more chola types here

[kats17]

Tiny Silver coin of Raja Raja Chola
Obv: Sitting Tiger (Defaced in this coin)
Rev: Two upright fishes

Wt: 100mg

[THCoins]

Nice specimen, especially the side with the fishes! You say it is tiny. What's the diameter ?

[Figleaf]

Maybe it's the light, but I can see a sitting animal. Very interesting addition to this thread.

See reply #26 of this thread for what the sitting tiger must have looked like.

Peter

[kats17]

@THCoins

It is 4 mm in diameter

[THCoins]

Thanks for the reply. This small size even more underlines the craftsmanship of the die maker.

[kats17]

Raja Raja Chola Horse Rider Type Copper Coin

1.4g
Obv: A man riding horse (? Rajaraja). Probably released to show him as a great horse rider.
Rev: Sitting Man with Nagari letter "Ra"  (Unclear in this coin)

[THCoins]

Thanks for showing, never saw this type before (but i am not a real Southern India coinage expert, so that does not say much  ).

[@josephjk]

Copper Kahavanus of Raja Raja Chola? the ones at the top are 4.1 grams, 20mm and the one below is 3.7 grams, 16 mm - thanks

[kats17]

Chola Copper Fractions

Wt: 1.1g
Wt: 1.0g

These coins are described in Tamil inscriptions of that time as "Raja Rajan Maadai or Kasu"

[CameronK]

Greetings! What an education. I came across this coin in a 'mystery collection', and believe it is of this genre. Can anyone offer an opinion on whether it is a Chola coin, and if so, maybe which ruler and what denomination it is? It is 17mm and weighs 3.3g

Thanks in advance for your help!

[THCoins]

Hello Cameron, and welcome to WOC !

Your coin will indeed be a Chola coin. The general distinction between the mainland and the Sri Lankan types is the pile of dots next to the figure on your left coin. If there's a moon crescent above this it is a mainland type. The name of the king is next to the figure on your right pictures. In this state it is not well readable but it very likely is in the name of Raja Raja Chola. You can perhaps get you coins a bit better by soaking them in oil for some thays and brushing them with a soft brush afterwards. Be cautious about the green spots on your lower coin. This could be bronze diease. This has a tendency to spread and ultimately destroy the coin. Iy you use the search function of the forum you will find some treatment methods for this.

Anthony

[CameronK]

THCoins - thanks so much for the identification and recommendation on the green patina/ bronze disease. Any idea what these coins were called? I've seen them referred to as 'copper fractions' but what was the money system at that time, or is this known? Thanks again!

[THCoins]

These coins are referred ot as copper Kasu. This is a name also appearing in contemporary texts. How the entire monetary system was organized we do not know.

[Figleaf]

Kasu as a name certainly existed. It is thought to be the root of the English word cash as applied to cast coins with a square hole in the centre as used in East Asia.

Coinage in ancient and medieval times were not organised like today, with a principal unit (like dollar), a subsidiary unit (like cent) in fixed relation (like 1:100), multiples and divisions. In principle, each coin was a unit by itself in a floating relation. Later, units coalesced around metal, so that you would have two to three units of account, such as sovereign, crown or shilling and penny. In that sense, these coins have a name, but not a denomination as we know it.

Peter