s r i  l a n k a


r e f e r e n c e s


Please also see Kavan U. Ratnatunga's site on the Coins of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Pandya inspired multi-type coinage (circa 210 - 177 BC)

Pandyan Elephant coinage of Madura and Ceylon (circa 177 - 29 BC)

Kingdom of Ceylon (circa 29 BC - 297 AD)

Influx of Pallava coinage (circa 297 - 350 AD)

Indo-Roman coinage (circa 350 - 750 AD)

[Indo-Roman]5K JPG
Anonymous (circa 350 - 750 AD)
AE Unit
Mitchiner ACW 5170v.
9 x 10 mm.
0.38 gm.
Die position=n/a
Slightly magnetic.
reverse
Obverse: Stylized Roman bust right.
Reverse: Swirl.

Period of Pallava influence (668 - 740 AD)

Period of Pandya influence (824 - 943 AD)

Anonymous coinage of the Chola period (circa 980 - 1070 AD)

Polonnaruwa period (1070 - 1214 AD)

[Lilavati]16K JPG
Queen Lilavati (1197 - 1200 AD)
AE Massa
Mitchiner NIS 838 - 839
21 mm.
4.05 gm.
Die position=5h
reverse
Obverse: Stylized dancing figure; Nagari legend.
Reverse: Queen enthroned.

[Malla]12K JPG
Sri Sahasa Malla (1200 - 1202 AD)
AE Massa
Mitchiner NIS 840 - 841
20 mm.
4.17 gm.
Die position=5h
reverse
Obverse: Stylized dancing figure; Nagari legend.
Reverse: King enthroned.

[Dharmasoka]16K JPG
Dharmasoka Deva (1208 - 1209 AD)
AE Massa
Mitchiner NIS 842 - 844
20 mm.
4.12 gm.
Die position=4h
reverse
Obverse: Stylized dancing figure; Nagari legend.
Reverse: King enthroned.

Later Kings of Ceylon

[Parakrama Bahu II]14K JPG
Parakrama Bahu II (1236 - 1271 AD)
AE Massa
Mitchiner NIS 845 - 846
20 mm.
4.10 gm.
Die position=9h
reverse
Obverse: Stylized dancing figure; Nagari legend.
Reverse: King enthroned.

[Vijaya Bahu IV]17K JPG
Vijaya Bahu IV (1271 - 1273 AD)
AE Massa
Mitchiner NIS 848 - 849
19 mm.
4.13 gm.
Die position=6h
reverse
Obverse: Stylized dancing figure; Nagari legend.
Reverse: King enthroned.

[Bahu I]17K JPG
Bhuvanaika Bahu I (1273 - 1302 AD)
AE Massa
Mitchiner NIS 851 - 852
20 mm.
4.16 gm.
Die position=5h
reverse
Obverse: Stylized dancing figure; Nagari legend.
Reverse: King enthroned.

[Bahu I]13K JPG
Bhuvanaika Bahu I (1273 - 1302 AD)
AE Massa
Mitchiner NIS 851 - 852
19 mm.
3.90 gm.
Die position=5h
reverse
Obverse: Stylized dancing figure; Nagari legend.
Reverse: King enthroned.

Tamil Coinage of Ceylon (1220 - 1284 AD)

The Arya Chakravartis of Jaffna (circa 1284 - 1410 and 1462 - 1597 AD) 

b a c k  t o  a n c i e n t  c o i n s