1208 - 1209 - Lanka
DharmasokaDeva - Eighth massa

SPECIFICATIONS Denomination Eighth massa Alloy Copper Type Struck Diameter 9.8 mm Thickness  mm Weight 0.45 gms Shape Round Edge Plain DieAxis O°
Denomination Eighth massa Alloy Copper Type Struck Diameter 10.9 mm Thickness 1.3 mm Weight 0.41 gms Shape Round Edge Plain DieAxis O°
	Codrington page 70	Mitchiner Unlisted

Obverse : Traditional Lankan massa design of standing king.
The head consists of an irregular oblong, the right side being a vertical line, from which projects three horizontal stokes representing the nose, mouth and chin. The crown bulging outwards at the back. The two curved lines on either side of the legs slightly turned upwards at the end indicate a person wearing a 'dhoti', and standing on a lotus stalk with flower to the right. The forearm is bent sharply down; the hand grasps the hanging lamp. The right side elbow is curved down with the arm turned upwards holds a flower presumed to be a jasmine blossom. To the right is an alter. A rim of beads.
Reverse : Nagari legend Sri Dha rmma so ka De va

This is an extreamly rare copper one Eighth massa coins from the late Polonnaruwa era. Codrington in 1924, on page 70, says that the only known specimen was in the cabinet of Mr H. C. P. Bell and is described in the Indian Antiquary, 1895, p 332. I am told that under 20 of these coins are now known to exist.
One sold in 2017-04-01 Ahamedabad Indian CNG Auction 27 lot 775 for Indian Rs16,000 including BP and Taxes (lkRs Rs37,500) making reference to this website. On 2018-05-20 Fred Medis sold one at SLNS monthly meeting Auction for Rs60,000.

The DharmasokaDeva one massa coin is one of six fairly common copper coins from this era.

Text edited from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency: H. W. Codrington, Colombo, 1924.
   Chapter VI Mediaeval Lanka - Sinhala of 12th & 13th Century - Series I, Page 70

The coins were scanned at 600dpi and displayed at 600 dpi The almost mint state coin was obtained in 2001 December from O. M. R. Sirisena an expert collector in Colombo, Lanka. The more corroded coin with better provenance was purchased in 2008 from collector in Pollonnaruva.