Chola Empire Uttama Chola

Some rather bizarre looking iconography on that one, Ron. Good pickup.

Agreed - love to learning about new coinage from you guys. I have not dared to venture out of Romans yet.

Congrats on the addition!

Thanks. I think most of us started out collecting Roman coinage, they are plentiful and for the most part easy to identify. It took me many years before I went beyond them, I haven't bought a Rome coin in at least six years now. Once I found that there were other empires besides Rome a new world of collecting opened up to me. I still have most of my Rome coins but now I concentrate on Indo-Greek, Sasanian, Kushan, Parthian and Kingdoms from India and Central Asia.

There is nothing wrong with collecting Roman coinage, there is a lot of history that can be learned from them, however don't be afraid to venture beyond your comfort zone.

Thanks Dave, it does look like a penguin talking to two fish.

I was luck to find this one on ebay from a trusted dealer and not for a lot of money, $35. I've been wanting one for sometime and when this showed up I snatched it.

From Studies in Indian Coins, the Kahavanu was the same as a Karshapana, though a bit heavy from the Mauryan karshapana which weighed @3.4 grams.

Paul, thank you for setting me straight on this coin I believe now that you are correct it is Uttama Chola. I wish I had a copy of Mitchiner but it's took expensive and there really isn't much other reference material available on this series.