Ancient Lanka - 2nd Pandya Dynasty
Fish Stand Type: 740 - 909 CE

A rare copper coin with a fish found in Lanka from early period of Pandya influence which Biddulph assigns to middle of 9th Century when Srimara Srivallabha (815-862 CE) invaded Lanka.

SPECIFICATIONS
AlloyCu
TypeStruck ?
Diameter21.0 mm
Thickness1.7 mm
Weight3.43 gms
ShapeRound
DieAxis0°
 pandya_fish_stand_cu_obverse pandya_fish_stand_cu_reverse
Biddulph 1966, Plate III,#51,Mitchiner #5159 #
Obverse : Single flat Fish swiming left, clear eye, mouth and gill, fins upwardss, forked tail. A spear pointing left on top. Maybe a different Weapon with chain below. All within dot circle.
Reverse : Fish cleaned pointing up, being roasted beween two stands (Temple lamps, Sceptret). All within dot circle.

Biddulph and Mitchiner describe both sides to be same. Single fish verticle between two tall temple lights which Mitchiner calls Sceptre. The three specimens listed by Biddulph and referenced Mitchiner have weights 2.6, 2.1 and 1.4 grams are all lot lighter than the specimen above which clearly shows that on one side there is a spear which does not have a flat base. The description above is bit more imaginative to highligt the difference.

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The coin was scanned at 600 dpi and displayed at 300 dpi. ex: Raja Wickramasinghe, is from part of Lalith Raddella's collection I purchased in 2016 December.