1st-3rd Century CE - Lanka
`Lakshmi' Plaque fragment

SPECIFICATIONS Alloy Pb-Cu Type Cast Height 13.0 mm Width 14.0 mm Thickness 2.2 mm Weight 1.57 gms Shape oblong DieAxis O°

Obverse : goddess Lakshmi. The stalk on either side ending about the level of the sholders in a small blossom, upon each of which stands a small elephant holding a water pot in his upturned trunk, the two trunks forming an arch over her head.standing between two stalks of a plant.
Reverse : svastika revolving to right (clockwise).

The metal is brittle and flakes easily. This fragment shows very clearly the detail of the top of the coin which is hardly visible in most specimens.

Click here for longer discussion and links to other Lakshmi plaques in collection.

The coin was scanned at 300dpi and displayed at 300dpi. This exquisite fragment was purchased with an broken Plaque in 1995 at a coin show in Baltimore, USA and motivated the restart of this Lankan coin collection.

Text edited from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency By H. W. Codrington. Colombo 1924
  Page 26 Chapter III - Ancient Coins - Plaques