(sold for $290.0)

1070, Ceylon, Chola Invasion Period. Gold Stater (Kahavanu) Coin. 4.27gm!

Condition: A nice XF-AU! Mint Period: 980/990-1070 AD Reference: Friedberg 1, Mitchiner 825. Denomination: Gold Stater (Kahavanu) Diameter: 21mm Material: Gold! Weight: 4.27gm

Obverse: King seated right with legend below his rised arm, which holds a chonch. Legend: Sri Lamka Vibhu ("The fortunate Lord of Ceylon!")

Reverse: Standing king with ancillary symbols.

The Ceylonese gold in the name of the "Lord of Sri Lanka" is believed to have been struck starting around 960 and continued through the period of the Chola occupation, with Raja Raja Chola completing the conquest around 1001, and continuing until the expulsion of the Cholas by Vijaya Bahu around 1070. The standard anonymous coinage has figures of the king holding a sankh shell and lotus respectively on obverse and reverse. Variant types (see following lot) may have been struck at subsidiary mints around the island, or possibly even on the Indian mainland in Tamilnadu.

Authenticity on all offered coins guaranteed.

The Kingdom of Rajaranta is the name given to the kingdom that ruled the Sri Lanka from northern part of Sri Lanka from approximately the 5th Century BCE to the early 13th Century CE. It was centered around the ancient cities of Tambapanni, Upatissa Nuwara,Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa. Rajarata was under direct administration of the King, other areas (Malaya rata,Ruhunu rata) were ruled by brothers of King called by "Mapa" and "Epa".

The geographical designation Rajarata (Raja = king, rata = country, or preferably area, thus the area of King) is the name given to the region of Sri Lanka from which these monarchs ruled.