This coin has a sprue which indicates it's a cast coin , Obv Elephant & rev Ujjain symbol?
2.38g
Kaushambi region, Mauryan Copper ½ Kakani (c. 300-200 BC), 3.02g, an Elephant looking left, three arched hill on rev., a pair of coins joined together during the casting process (Mitch ATEC 4571). Very Fine, Extremely Rare.
From Todywalla Website.
Abhay
Thank you Abhay, I never did get this coin identified for all the years I owned it
Happy to inform I own the coin listed by Abhay
Thanks for guiding me to this page. I also have a similar coin.
Wonderful specimen. Very clear elephant and chaitya (stupa) symbol.
Thank You Sir.
Thank You Sir ji
Hello,
I also want to share my coin.
I is not a very nice elephant, but the three-arched hill is very strong and well-centered.
The seller did not clean the coin very well. I hope the orange areas will re-tone to a pleasing brown, but I doubt it.
(http://i.imgur.com/iT3W59n.jpg)
Try keeping it in olive oil (no additives) for a month or so.
Peter
Quote from: Figleaf on July 02, 2013, 02:00:57 AM
Try keeping it in olive oil (no additives) for a month or so.
Peter
Was this directed at me? I definitely will! Should end up quite nice, I hope. There's a lot of dirt on it.
It was. As a bonus, the olive oil should solve or soften the dirt. Attack dirt with a wooden toothpick after the oil bath.
Olive oil is slightly acid. Producing regions in the East of the Mediterranean (Greece!) are the least acid, those in the West (Spain) the most acid. An Italian brand name on the label says nothing about where the oil was produced. Bertolli uses Spanish oil. Anyway, the acidity is low enough not to be harmful to copper (but beware of additives.) I wouldn't recommend a month in oil for a silver coin.
Peter
Here's a picture of my coin of this type (MACW 4366-4370). Nowhere as great as the specimens discussed earlier in this thread. ~1.9 grams.
I think I will join this bandwagon as well, can't let you guys have all the fun ;D
It seems that the defining feature of a "great" specimen of one of these coins is a well-struck elephant done by an experienced engraver. Most coins seem to have a nice three-arched hill, but few coins have an easily identifiable elephant.
Quote from: ChrisHagen on July 03, 2013, 03:02:37 AM
It seems that the defining feature of a "great" specimen of one of these coins is a well-struck elephant done by an experienced engraver. Most coins seem to have a nice three-arched hill, but few coins have an easily identifiable elephant.
I am not that convinced that the engravers made such an unidentifiable elephant. The elephant is enormously important and hence care must have been taken when cutting the dies. It seems to me that it *might* be the joining of another animal on the left, especially with leg-like attributes on the left...
Aha! That is an interesting theory. What would be most likely? A horse, a bull, or another animal?
I made this in ten seconds so excuse the horrible mspaintjob. This is what I have started to see. NO ELEPHANT ON THE COIN :D
These were cast. Casting flaws are common. Great imagination though!!