1462 - 1597 - Setu Type II(4) - Jaffna
Arya Chakravartis Copper masaka

Traditional design of Lanka standing King Type copper masaka of the Jaffna Arya Chakravartis circ 1462-1597, of Codrington SETU type II(4).

This very specimen was loaned by Raja Wickramasinghe for use as the model to draw the Rs 17.00 Stamp of Indigenous Coinage of Sri Lanka stamp set issued by Sri Lanka Philatelic Bureau on 2001.06.18

SPECIFICATIONS
DenominationOne masaka
AlloyCopper
TypeStruck
Diameter19.6 mm
Thickness2.0 mm
Weight3.84 gms
ShapeRound
EdgePlain
DieAxis0°
 setu_II-4_masaka_cu_obverse setu_II-4_masaka_cu_reverse
Codrington 94 ;Mitchiner #868
Obverse : Standing king with crown consisting two short lines and dot ; body broad, arms raised. Below body a line following the contour at each end of which is a dot. Below and separated from this line hangs the Dhoti To the left two semicircles with dot above each disposed virtically ; to right lamp, the stem of which consists of a large ball between two smaller balls, and the head of a horizontal line curved upwards at either end enclosing a flame. On either side of figure two dots. All within cicle of dashes.
Reverse : Bull couchant facing left. Crescent and sun above. Tamil legend SETU below ; large kombu. To right and left of bull a group of three dots.

See also SETU - 1462-1597 - type II (1) coin and (6) coin.

Text edited from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency: H. W. Codrington, Colombo, 1924.
Chapter VI Mediaeval Lanka - "Setu" Coins - Type II(4), Page 77
* Oriental Coins: Michael Mitchiner, London, Hawkins Publications, 1978.

The coin was scanned at 600dpi and displayed at 300dpi. It is from part of Lalith Raddella's collection (ex: Raja Wickramasinghe) I purchased in 2016 December.