Questionable Satavahana Coin: Yajna and Kumbha Satakarni

[Quant.Geek]

Hi,

Here is another suspected fake, but I am not sure. The script looks mangled to me and hence doesn't seem to fit with the known coins I have seen.  Can someone please verify...

Thanks,

Ram

[Oesho]

This looks a perfect genuine coin. It is an issue of the Satavahanas and struck in the name of Gautamiputra Sri Yajna Satakarni (c. AD172-201).
Obv.: Elephant standig right, above (rano siri) yana satakani(sa)
Rev.: Satavahana symbol
The coins derived from N. Maharastra.
Ref.: Mitchiner 4967

[Quant.Geek]

Hi Oesho,

I compared the writings with what was mentioned in Mitchner, but it seemed to be off a bit.  I am glad as I really liked this one...I found another one similar to mine as well. Thanks for verifying it for me...

Cheers,

Ram

[Quant.Geek]

Here is another one that I am questioning its authenticity...

Thanks,

Ram

[Oesho]

Here is another one that I am questioning its authenticity...

There is no question about its authenticity. The coin is perfectly genuine and if it is what I think, also a rare coin.
The full legend seems to read: Siri Kanha Satakanisa (Krishna Satakarni, mid 1st century)

[Quant.Geek]

Thanks Oesho.  You seem very knowledgeable in these matters...May I ask what your background is...


Cheers,


Ram

[PeaceBD]

 

Thanks Oesho.  You seem very knowledgeable in these matters...May I ask what your background is...


Cheers,


Ram

google Jan Lingen. We are very lucky he participates here.

[Md. Shariful Islam]

Thanks Oesho.  You seem very knowledgeable in these matters...May I ask what your background is...


Cheers,


Ram

O my GOD! We are all getting enlightened in medieval coinage from him. For my case, I always wait for his response to get the final solution. Yap. Sometimes we try to put our arguments over his. But truly we are lucky that he visits WoC.

Islam

[Quant.Geek]

Didn't realize...I know Jan Lingen from his posts/coins in http://www.zeno.ru and other forums as well as his coin postings on http://coins.lakdiva.org/lingen.  So, I know his reputation in regards to Asiatic coins.  It is a privilege to have him correct my ignorance in these matters.  Unfortunately, my knowledge of Brahmi is extremely lacking and hence I rely on known publications and various articles to fill the gap. 

Hate to be a pain in the rear end, but sometimes these constructive questions helps further my knowledge as well as for others.  Based on "Catalogue of the Coins of the Andhra Dynasty, the Western Ksatrapas, the Traikutaka Dynasty, and the "Bodhi" Dynasty" by Rapson, the brahmi script for Siri Kanha Satakanisa is below which doesn't match at all to what the coin is depicting.   Furthermore, the Brahmi alphabet has no characters that look like a backwards 'h' like what is shown in the second coin.  The character should be similar to what is shown in Mitchiner's book that is illustrated above.  Shouldn't it be the na character as depicted in the alphabet.  Again, sorry for the stupid questions, but as I indicated, my Brahmi skills are very lacking.  It is these references that gave me doubt to the authenticity of the coin.  Please do enlighten me.

Cheers,

Ram

[THCoins]

Im am not a specialist in Brahmi also. But Brahmi was not a static script. And very different variants and derivatives have been used over different times and places. Especially around the first centuries of the millennium.
This link may interest you (Especially the pictures with different character variants in tabular form):
http://www.engr.mun.ca/~adluri/telugu/language/script/script1d.html

[cmerc]

Oesho,

You already know almost everything about Asian coins, starting from ancient to colonial periods.  Do you also own all these coins?  If so, your collection is probably one of the most amazing ones on the planet!  Can you tell us a little bit about your collection?  I am particularly interested your British India collection (colonial & regal periods). 

[Oesho]

google Jan Lingen

I wouldn't advise it, as there are several persons with the same name.

O my GOD! We are all getting enlightened in medieval coinage from him. For my case, I always wait for his response to get the final solution. Yap. Sometimes we try to put our arguments over his. But truly we are lucky that he visits WoC.

Too many feathers.

Can you tell us a little bit about your collection?  I am particularly interested your British India collection (colonial & regal periods).

It's reasonbly representive for the Presidency series. The regal series are not my particular interest, so they are often only type wise and not date wise. I am in general more interested in the handstruck coinage rather than the milled coinage.

[cmerc]

I wouldn't advise it, as there are several persons with the same name.

I already tried.  Are you in this picture?
http://www.munt-penningkunde.nl/images/201001_Bronbeek10_Gerritsen_Lingen.jpg

It's reasonbly representive for the Presidency series. The regal series are not my particular interest, so they are often only type wise and not date wise. I am in general more interested in the handstruck coinage rather than the milled coinage.

I agree, the regal series are boring.  Even the rare ones look just like the common ones, except for the date.  The presidency issues have so much more character, reflecting the constant political turbulence of the period.  When you say "reasonably representative", do you mean you have almost all presidency issues??   

[Quant.Geek]

I agree, the regal series are boring.  Even the rare ones look just like the common ones, except for the date.  The presidency issues have so much more character, reflecting the constant political turbulence of the period.  When you say "reasonably representative", do you mean you have almost all presidency issues??

That's funny as I too think regal coins are boring.  The hand-struck coins have a certain appeal that is lost in comparison to machine struck coins.  Furthermore, I never understood why anyone would be a series collector as all the coins are nearly identical except for a few years worth.  It is also extremely time consuming as you wait years to finish the series due to a nearly impossible coin and it is quite expensive...Most of my focus is on Madras Presidency and South Indian hand-struck coins...

[Oesho]

Finally I got the answer for the attribution of the last Satavahana coin. It is Kumbha (or Kubha as read by Mitchiner) Satavahana (c. AD 224-248).
I was lucky that I could show the image to Shailendra Bhandare. He did his thesis on the Satavahanas and is most knowledgeable about this series.
This type seems to originate from northern Karnataka. Mitchiner locate these ruler in the north-western Deccan.
You must be very lucky with this extremely nice and rare coin.