Century 3rd BCE to 1st CE - Lanka
Anuradhapura - Elephant and Svastika

The circular Elephant and Svastika coins were mainly found at the Abhayagiri Dagoba in Anuradhapura. It is the Classic and largest of the ancient coins which is uniquely from Lanka. It is the equivalent of the Greek Athenian Owl tetradrachm for Lankan Numismatics. These coins found in Anuradhapura are thin and Struck with fine detail. Recent finds at Akurugoda near Tissmaharama in south west Lanka. thick and rough cast coins.

SPECIFICATIONS
AlloyCopper
TypeStruck
Diameter35.5 mm
Thickness1.8 mm
Weight11.77 gms
ShapeCut circular
DieAxis30°
eleph_svast_struck11_obverse eleph_svast_struck11_reverse
SPECIFICATIONS
AlloyCopper
TypeDouble Struck
Diameter32.5 mm
Thickness1.8 mm
Weight9.46 gms
ShapeCut circular
DieAxis150°
eleph_svast_struck9_obverse eleph_svast_struck9_reverse
SPECIFICATIONS
AlloyCopper
TypeDouble Struck
Diameter32.0 mm
Thickness1.2 mm
Weight5.48 gms
ShapeCut circular
DieAxis-80°
eleph_svast_dstruck5_obverse eleph_svast_dstruck5_reverse
Obverse : Elephant with large tusk, walking to the left with trunk extended and tail ending in a triple fork. Above are four symbols
AJust above ElephantThe Pennant Dhajaya symbol -|<|
BOn Top The Svastika revolving right mounted on a staff and surrounded by a railing indicated by four vertical lines rising from a horizontal line.
COn upper leftTree with three-Branches (partly visible) each ending in a triple fork in a enclosure, divided into four compartments by a vertical and a horizontal line.
DOn upper rightChitaya of three small cells, the two bottom ones are contiguous.
Reverse : four symbols arranged
AOn Top The railed Svastika revolving right. (double struck ?)
BBelowThe usual Chitaya of three arches.
CTo right Nandipada symbol.
DTo leftThe hour glass-like symbol (not clear)

These three coins of different weights of 11.8, 9.5 and 5.5 grams are less than average weight of 15.7 grams measured by John Still in 1907 for 20 Elephant and Svastika coins and outside his range [12.7 to 17.8] grams.

The two lighter coins are clearly double Struck showing duplicate symbols. and it is not clear particularly on reverse from which strike we see each symbol.

This coin is speculated by D. P. E. Hettiaratchi to be a commerative coin issued for Arahat Mahinda..

The coin was scanned at 600 dpi and displayed at 200 dpi.
ex: Collection of Late Dr Joe Gunasekara who passed away in 1962.