quant.geek Posted July 15, 2022 · Member Share Posted July 15, 2022 I love lead coins and try to pick up interesting ones all the time. My recent acquisition are these two coins from India: Maharathis of Rayalseema: Anonymous (ca 1st century CE) Pb Unit (Pieper 2181) Obv: Elephant facing left, swastika above Rev: Decorated Indradhvaja Mahatalavara: Anonymous (ca 3rd century CE) Pb Unit (Pieper 2215) Obv: Horse facing right, Indradhvaja above Rev: 3 dotted arches, symbols above, all within square double frame Go ahead and post your Pb coins as they are truly golden. I'll post some others as well... 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted July 15, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2022 @quant.geek...Neat looking coins! I have a few lead coins and was wondering how you store them? Do you keep them separate from silver or bronze coins?...I actually don't as they are displayed along side all my other coins in an open glass cabinet, any thoughts? Chutas of Banavasi .. Rajno Mulanandasa....Lead double Karshapana 27mm and 15.03gr...AD 125-345 Obverse..2 tiered hill of small arches surmounted by a large arch (8 arched Chaitya,stupa)?, river flowing below. Brahmi legend around..'Rano Mulanandas'. Reverse..Railed tree with 2 symbols either side..Srivatsa, Indra-dhvaja, Swastika, Triratana. Mitchiner ACW 4971 - 4972 Chutas of Banavasi .. Rajno Mulanandasa....Lead double Karshapana 30mm and 13.40gr...AD 125-345 Obverse..2 tiered hill of small arches surmounted by a large arch (8 arched Chaitya,stupa)?, river flowing below. Brahmi legend around..'Rano Mulanandas'.(Elongated LA) Reverse..12 Railed tree with Triratana to the right. Mitchiner ACW 4971 - 4972 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quant.geek Posted July 16, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted July 16, 2022 I usually keep them separately and try not to keep different metals together, just for safety. It is more for posterity than for any actual science behind them. But, you may never know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Severus Alexander Posted July 16, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2022 Lead seems to develop a very distinctive patination... anybody know the chemical story there? @quant.geek, can you tell us something about the historical context of your two cool coins? Only if you have time, of course! 🙂 I'm just curious. Here's a lead coin or token from Sri Lanka, now attributed (I think!) to the Kingdom of Ruhuna, c. 200 BCE–200 CE: Obv: Goddess Lakshmi and 2 elephants spinkling water; Rev: Railed swastika (very faint). The southern Kingdom of Ruhuna resisted domination from Anuradhapura in the north. This coin/token was produced at the time Buddhism was spreading around the Island, first introduced by way of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka's son, Mahinda, who allegedly came as a sort of missionary and lived in a cave for 40 years! (In the north.) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AncientOne Posted July 16, 2022 · Member Share Posted July 16, 2022 This came described as "China- Xinjiang c. 200 B.C. Pb "horse cash" (grave goods)." I have yet to find anything similar. 24mm. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quant.geek Posted July 17, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 17 hours ago, Severus Alexander said: Lead seems to develop a very distinctive patination... anybody know the chemical story there? @quant.geek, can you tell us something about the historical context of your two cool coins? Only if you have time, of course! 🙂 I'm just curious. I wish I had my coin books with me, especially my ancient and medieval South Asian ones, but they are all in storage at the moment. So, forgive me if the details are slightly off. The Maharathis were local governors of various provinces, especially in the Deccan area of India during the reign of the Mauryan Empire and eventually flexed their muscles of independence during its fall. These provinces eventually fell under the influence of the Satavahana, but still continued to issue coins under their own names. Here is another one from the Deccan, but different area: Mahasenapatis of Telangana: Anonymous (ca. 3rd century CE) Pb Unit (Unpublished) Obv: Horse facing left, swastika above, Brahmi legend mahasenapatisa above Rev: Railed tree left, 10-arch hill right 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quant.geek Posted July 17, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 Keeping with the same theme... Maharathis of Tungabhadra: Sivakuhana (ca. 1st century CE) Pb Unit (Pieper-2163) Obv: Elephant facing left, Brahmi legend above 𑀫𑀳𑀭𑀣𑀺𑀲 𑀱𑀺𑀯𑀓𑀼𑀳𑀦(Maharathisa Sivakuhana) Rev: Tree-in railing with nine compartments 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quant.geek Posted July 17, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 Lead was used on coins way beyond this period in India. The Danish settlement of Tranquebar issued lead coins up to the late 17th century: Danish India, Tranquebar: Frederik III (1648-1670) Pb Cash (UBJ-109; KM#81) Obv: Crowned F3 monogram Rev: Norse lion left, E 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanxi Posted July 17, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 17, 2022 (edited) Lead cash coins from china: Southern Han, 南汉 Obv: Kai Yuan Tong Bao 開元通寶 Rv: Bao 寶 Year: 900-971 Lead, 3.30g, 22.2mm Ref: Hartill 15.118-120 Sothern Han, 南汉 Liu Yan 劉巖 (917-941) Obv: Qian Heng Zhong Bao 乾亨重寶 Rev: Yong Lead, 4.2g, 24.38mm Ref: Hartill 15.112, FD 828 Kingdom MInWang Shenzi 王审知 Obv: Kai Yuan Tong Bao 開元通寶 Rev: Min 閩 and crescent Year: 909-945 Lead, 20.8g, 39.6mm Hartill 15.51, FD 739 Edited July 17, 2022 by shanxi 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quant.geek Posted July 17, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 39 minutes ago, shanxi said: Lead cash coins from china: Southern Han, 南汉 Obv: Kai Yuan Tong Bao 開元通寶 Rv: Bao 寶 Year: 900-971 Lead, 3.30g, 22.2mm Ref: Hartill 15.118-120 Sothern Han, 南汉 Liu Yan 劉巖 (917-941) Obv: Qian Heng Zhong Bao 乾亨重寶 Rev: Yong Lead, 4.2g, 24.38mm Ref: Hartill 15.112, FD 828 Kingdom MInWang Shenzi 王审知 Obv: Kai Yuan Tong Bao 開元通寶 Rev: Min 閩 und Halbmond Year: 909-945 Lead, 20.8g, 39.6mm Hartill 15.51, FD 739 Those are really nice! I have been looking for a nice set for a while, but haven't found them yet. Most that I have encountered have much softer legends, but these are outstanding... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quant.geek Posted July 17, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 Byzantine Empire: Maurice Tiberius (582-602) Pb Decanummium (Morrison 23-4) Obv: Facing, draped bust of Maurice Tiberius, wearing diadem with pendilia, flanked by two crosses Rev: Large I, topped by a cross; Є in left field, Δ in right field Dim: 15 mm, 3.24 g 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Severus Alexander Posted July 17, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 17, 2022 Thank you, @quant.geek, for your excellent answer! Do you know if these polities issued coins during their short period of independence, between the fall of the Mauryan empire and their subjugation by the Satavahanas? If I were to get some coins from them, that's what I'd aim for... Continuing on the Pb theme, here's an odd duck: I got it for 80 bucks from Roma. (My thought at the time being: "Oh, what the hell! Toss in a bid.") It purports to be an unofficial solidus of Verina, or perhaps a test strike. I'm not sure what to make of it. One other has appeared on the market (with both Roma and Gorny) and it also has the same pattern of deposits. The lack of patination around the edges and on the devices concerns me... I now suspect it's a modern forgery. Any genuine ancient lead coins I've seen are entirely patinated. Any thoughts? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quant.geek Posted July 22, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted July 22, 2022 On 7/17/2022 at 3:54 PM, Severus Alexander said: Thank you, @quant.geek, for your excellent answer! Do you know if these polities issued coins during their short period of independence, between the fall of the Mauryan empire and their subjugation by the Satavahanas? If I were to get some coins from them, that's what I'd aim for... Without my books, that would be difficult to answer, unfortunately. There are so many small kingdoms that popped up and disappeared that it is difficult to answer these specific questions without some academic background. Things are always changing with Indian Numismatics... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.