Cunninghams lost coin: the horseman jital of Kangra ruler Devanga Chandra

[THCoins]

In a previous thread was a short discussion between drnsreedhar and myself on the coinage of the Kangra rulers. The problem with this is that historic information is scarce. There are some discrepancies between the traditional genealogical lists of rulers and the coins knows. This fed doubts on the accuracy of these lists, of which the originals have been lost in time.

One such discrepancy involves the coinage of Devanga Chandra. Cunningham, in his book Coins of Medieval India (1894), postulates that the coins with the legend "Avatara Chandra Deva" should actually be attributed to Devanga Chandra. But, he states, he had actually also possessed a coin naming Devanga Chandra in the legend, "kindly given to me by mr Rodgers". Unfortunately, neither Rodgers nor Cunningham provides a photograph of this coin.
Since that date, as far as i know, nobody has again seen a coin in the name of Devanga Chandra Deva. Also Jha & Garg, in their extensive monograph on the coinage of the Katoch rules of Kangra, did not find a physical trace of this coin. Its actual existence has been doubted.

The decades past fortunately have provided us with the internet where we may find everything. Unfortunately, like in old archives, not everything is always tagged properly. And sometimes one finds something placed under a wrong heading.
So, to vindicate Sir Alexander Cunningham, and draw this Kangra ruler from the state of oblivion, here is a picture of a horseman jital in the name of Devanga Chandra, which has not been seen since 1894:

The top line shows part of "MaHaRaJa" where the lower hook of "Ha" is separate from the top. This fits with the common style of the later Kangra Rajas. The second line shows an unmistakeable "Sri DeVan[Ga]". Third line parts of "[Chan]Dra De[Va]".

[EWC]

Excellent find.  And belatedly - yes - Cunningham's dates make no sense when you look at the coins themselves

Rob T

[Figleaf]

 

With that, how close are you to a revised list of Kangra rulers?

Petre

[THCoins]

I am not really planning to make a revised list of Kangra rulers. My primary source are the coins. I try to place them in the most logical order based on both design characteristics and historic information. There will not be many differences with the list as in Tye's Jitals. I am still considering whether there is sufficient evidence to distinguish a Triloka Chandra I and II among other things.

[Rajagopal]

Adding another specimen of the same ruler...weighs 3 grams...This thread and author has helped me a lot in knowing about such a ruler and in confirming the ruler when i got one.I have a tough time in finding the exact  orientation of the reverse  ..Thanks WOC and THCOINS.....

[THCoins]

Thanks for adding Rajagopal ! We already had some contact about this specimen. You have developed a great talent to pick out the exceptional types and increased the known population of this type with 100% ! Likely there are more waiting to be found.

Regarding the position of the horseman, that has become quite difficult at the end of the series. I rotated your picture to the correct position. At the right is part of the neck of the horse.
Below that is a similar stage specimen in name of Narendra Chandra where you see a similar picture. Here, at the left, part of the backside of the horse can still be seen to aid the eye. The last one is an earlier specimen. This still shows the body and head of the horseman. This part has degenerated in the later coinage. Likely the die makers were not even aware anymore of the original design at the time of the later coinage.

Anthony

[THCoins]

I tried to put both specimen into approximately the same position to ease comparison. We consider this a rare coin. I wanted to check whether both coins were die identical. If so, that would confirm that likely just few coins were minted. If not, that would suggest that mintage was larger, or during a longer period.

Please judge for yourself. Taking into acount slight photographic technique differences, might these two be die identical?

[Figleaf]

I would say the horseman side is not die identical, but the text side is.

Peter

[Manzikert]

I think it is close but not identical: if you look at the central character on the top image, the line above and the stroke to the left are more widely spaced on the lower image I feel.

Alan

[THCoins]

Thanks for giving your opinions ! I think i largely agree with both of you. At first, i thought the two sides were die-identical. There are many similarities. But looking in detail there may be slight differences on both sides. We can only be sure if we could put the coins side by side in hand. With the current world-wide virus measures there won't be any chance for that in the near future. 
But seeing these two, perhaps one of the other members posts an additional specimen, who knows ?

[Rajagopal]

Looks like these are not that rare....Got Another one...weighs 3.09 grams...At first, i thought this is an exact copy of Thcoins coin...But on closer look, iam relieved .....Rajagopal.

[Figleaf]

That doubt crept in upthread also. Ik looks like a pattern is forming: dies that are very much alike. A short period in which the coins were produced? One (pretty good) die cutter only? Both?

Peter

[THCoins]

NIce ! very similar, but not identical.
Did you get this as a loose specimen or did this come from a group which might give some hoard information ?
I would still classify this as rare, but you are now the proud owner of 2/3 of the known world population of this type ! 

[Rajagopal]

This one came as a loose specimen unidentified...

[THCoins]

Like Rajagopal, i have been on the lookout for more Devanga Chandra horseman Jitals. This especially because we still rely on Cunningham's previous reading for the "Ga" part of "DeVanGa".
The coin below largely answers these doubts. The part of the legend on flan fits with DeVanGa". Only alternative could still be that it is not a partial "Ga" we see, but "Ra". Textually this seems less likely.