Rare coin with Nagari script: Kangra ruler Dharma Chandra

[THCoins]

That's the wrong Chandra dynasty (of Arakan). There were more dynasties who claimed descendence from the Moon (Chandra) or Sun (Surya).
Though not utterly reliable, you can find your Dharma Chandra in this list of Kangra rulers, but with a spelling variation as Dharam.

[EWC]

Yes, I agree with Anthony on all this.  Back when I was compiling Jitals I suppressed the three (rare) coins in Cunningham, his 26, 27, 28, as there seemed to be no clear evidence that they had any real connection to the coins in Jitals series.  Also I judged everyone, including Jha and Gupta, had rather been making guesses in the dark about the Kangra chronology.

My regret is actually that I did include two coins listed by Rodgers (Prayaga and Rama) - taking on trust his (supposed) link to Ibrahim. 

I have doubts about these too now.

Rob T

[THCoins]

These categories with lacking factual data are both intrigueing and pose a problem in catalogueing. I am not sure still where i will put the borders.
For now i think i will limit myself to coins of which i have seen actual retrieveable specimen. For specimen only seen through photos, accurate metric data are also a requirement. Sometimes one may not avoid making guesses. That does not have to be a problem, as long as is stated that it is a best guess. And with the presented evidence, the reader can decide whether or not to agree.

[EWC]

Sometimes one may not avoid making guesses. That does not have to be a problem, as long as is stated that it is a best guess. And with the presented evidence, the reader can decide whether or not to agree.

I strongly agree with this.  I recently discussed this sort of matter with a well known numismatic historian.  I was disappointed that he attempted to draw a distinction between a hypothesis and a best guess.  That seems to me to be unscientific.

As to these strange coins – well - one problem is Cunningham's collection is at the bottom of the ocean.....

I suspect Rogers made the connection with Kangra through hoard association, but it may not be possible to confirm that today. 

I would add that it seems most important to me to look at the coins themselves.  Cunningham, Jha and Gupta all gave too much weight to dubious historical sources when it came to Kangra in my opinion - the coins themselves tell a different story.  The most interesting aspect of all this to me was that the long series of Kashmir coppers seems to cease just as the long series of Kangra coppers started.  Seems to me troubling to suggest that is just a coincidence - I suspect some sort of political event was involved.

Rob T