| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Alloy | Cu |
| Type | Struck |
| Height | 11.1 mm |
| Width | 18.7 mm |
| Thickness | 1.6 mm |
| Weight | 1.29 gms |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| DieAxis | O° |
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| Ruhuna OBRW #H.26 ; Mitchiner #690 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Obverse : A bull standing facing left within double square frame with
dots between. The fire alter in front is clearly visible.
Reverse : A wheel within a double square frame with dots between.
About 40% of coin design from upper and lower part appears to have been cut, maybe to make a half value denomination.
Bopearachchi and Wickremesinhe in Ruhuna illustrate a copper coin from Akurugoda of similer type H.26 (18 mm, 2.68 gms).
Mitchiner attributes the uninscribed issue to the period CE 250-600.
Walburg has archeologically dated them to 4th-5th Century i.e. 300-500 CE.
Codrington describes 8 types various combinations of the standing bull
facing (1) right or (2) left including other symbols such a
flower vase on the obverse and a (1) circular (2) square or
(3) triangular frame enclosing one to four dots on the reverse.
This coin is within the range of sizes from 16 mm to 28 mm and weights from 1.8 gms to 13 gms listed by Codrington who illustrates two in Pl.16 and PL.17. The term Rectangular Bull Type is used although this coin and even smaller coin are practically square.
The coins were scanned at 600 dpi and displayed at 400 dpi. The coin images have been lightened to highlight features. Coin ex: Raja Wickramasinghe, is from part of Lalith Raddella's collection I purchased in 2016 December.
Text edited from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency By H. W. Codrington. Colombo 1924
Page 24 Chapter III - Ancient Coins - Rectangular Bull Type.
Pl 16 to Pl 17.