1st-3rd Century CE - Lanka
`Punch Mark' - Uncleaned

SPECIFICATIONS Alloy Ag Cu ? Type Struck ? Length 26. mm Width 17. mm Thickness 3.5 mm Weight 3.3 gms Shape rectangular

Obverse : Indistinct : Probably few typical punch mark symbols.
Reverse : Indistinct : Probably single punch mark

SPECIFICATIONS Alloy Cu Ag ? Type Struck ? Length 15. mm Width 13. mm Thickness 4.5 mm Weight 3.4 gms Shape square

Obverse : Indistinct : Probably few typical punch mark symbols.
Reverse : Indistinct : Probably single punch mark

The ancient coins as found in the ground are covered with corrosion of the metal. Although no detail is seen on the coins the shape and in particular the cut corner allows one to recognize these as Punch Mark coins. Very careful cleaning of the raw coins will reveal the original symbols below. Since very crude methods are used by the untrained collectors in Lanka I obtained these uncleaned specimens to test if more professional cleaning may help reveal more detail and symbols, but I have not decided the best way to try. It will be nice to have scans both before (above) and after cleaning.

According to the collector who has cleaned large number of these ancient coins found in Ruhuna, a thicker masa (flesh) or coating of clay around the coin (lower specimen above) at time of discovery yields a nicer coin. The Punch Mark coins within are lot thinner and lighter than measuremnts given above for the raw coins.

The raw coins above were obtained directly via the same collector who provided most of the items for the 1999 catalog Ruhuna. An Ancient Civilization Re-visited , by Osmund Bopearachchi and Rajah Wickramasinhe.

For longer discussion and links to cleaned Punch Mark plaques see collection.

The raw coins were scanned at 300dpi and displayed at 300dpi. They were obtained in 2001 December from Mr A. Ratnayaka a collector in Katharagama, Lanka.