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JOURNAL, R. A. S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIX. 



or more specimens have since been found at Anuradhapura, 

 and others at Mantota ; the coins are, however, very rare. 

 Those from Anuradhapura were found E.N.E. of Abhayagiri 

 Dagaba, not far from the Malwatu-oya. Having had oppor- 

 tunities of carefully examining about thirty of these coins, 

 I am able to give a much more accurate description than was 

 possible from Mr. Parker's single not very good specimen. In 

 general appearance the coins are roughly circular, averaging 

 1*31 inch in diameter and to of an inch in thickness. They 

 are fairly uniform in size, but vary a little in weight, twenty 

 examples I weighed averaging 242*75 grains, and varying 

 from 197 grains to 275 grains. They probably represent the 

 dwipana or double copper Jcarshapana, in which case their 

 correct weight would be 288 grains, and their value J of the 

 silver karshapana or punch-marked eldlings.* 



Although these latter were in use so early as to have been 

 known as " purana," or " old," in the earliest Buddhist 

 literature, they survived in Ceylon at least until the fifth 

 century a.d., and not improbably a great deal later, so that 

 they were almost certainly in circulation together with these 

 large copper coins, which it is natural to suppose represented 

 some integral part of their value. 



At first sight it may seem unlikely that coins so diverse in 

 type as punch-marked money and money struck in a double- 

 die were current at one and the same time. But it will be 

 shown further on that these copper coins are modelled from the 

 punch-marked coins, and that their die was in point of fact 

 only a group or arrangement of symbols which already existed, 

 stamped irregularly on the punch-marked coinage. The 

 calling in or suppressing of a coinage would have been very 

 difficult in ancient times, so that even if the eldlings were 

 succeeded by an improved silver coinage, after the pattern 

 of these copper coins, they probably continued in circulation 

 side by side until the older money either became exhausted 

 or was discredited through loss of weight. That some such 

 silver coinage existed is probable, but no specimens have as yet 

 been discovered. 



* " Coins of Ancient India," page 46. 



