1153-1186 - Lanka
ParakramaBahu I - Silver Nikkha

The rare silver nikkha of king ParakramaBahu I. ParakramaBahu the Great (1153 - 1186), the most outstanding monarch of the Polonnaruwa Period. A golden epoch of Lankan history.

SPECIFICATIONS
DenominationNikkha
AlloySilver0.35
TypeStruck
Diameter20.0 mm
Thickness3.0 mm
Weight3.92 gms
ShapeRound
EdgePlain
DieAxis180°
 parakramabahu~i_obverse parakramabahu~i_reverse
Codrington #75Mitchiner #
parakramabahu~i_legend Obverse : Traditional Lankan masaka 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 are five dots or spheres. A rim of 40 to 43 beads.
Reverse : Traditional Lankan masaka design of seated king.
Head and crown as on obverse. Arm is raised upwards and the hand holds a conch shell. On right Nagari legend Sri Pa ra kra ma Ba hu

In this rare coin the fork in the letter Sri on the reverse is to the left like in his copper masaka coin and one eighth masaka coin which see for historical information.

The coin was measured XRF to have 34.9% silver and 61.5% Copper and impurites 1.5% Gold, 1.7% Nickel and 0.4% Platinum.

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

The coin was scanned at 600dpi and displayed at 300dpi is from part of Lalith Raddella's collection I purchased in 2016 December.