A group of quite rare Indian coins came up for sale a while back on
ebay from an Indian seller that I've been buying from for years. I managed to snag one for $15 and now realise just how nice an example it is due to the nicely detailed, but more importantly, centred Elephant!
It's a Silver Damma (Drachm) issued in the name of Rana Hastin, an anonymous Chalukya feudatory who ruled parts of Gujarat or Rajasthan sometime between 900 AD-1000 AD.
The weight range of these coins 0.45-0.50 grams makes them among the smallest coins to be minted anywhere for general circulation.
The obverse of the coin features an elephant walking to the right, within a dotted border. The reverse side has 'Sri Rana'-'Hasti' written in early Nagari script in two lines...Translation 'King'-'elephant'....
See the overlay detail below..

Chalukyas of Gujarat - Rana Hastin (900-1000 AD), Silver Damma 9 mm/0.50 gm.
Obverse- Elephant facing right with dotted border around.
Reverse- Nagari legend Sri Rana / Hasti in two lines.
MACW 4910-4913..Fishman/Todd# U8; Mitchiner 1979# 299ff; SKU# Q88-49320
Interesting note...Ref taken from Numista..
Initially attributed to Maharaja Hastin (ca. 475-515) of the Parivrajaka family by Rapson (1897) and Mitchiner (1979), but recent researches by Fishman and Todd suggest that the "Rana Hastin" was an honorific title of an unknown 10-11th century ruler of the Chaulukya feudatory in Gujarat or Rajasthan, especially since his coins are found hundreds of kilometers away from Bundelkhand, the domain of the Parivrajakas.
There seems to be no information out there!...Anyone have a link with some historical reference to this unknown ruler? Also if anyone has the reference book by Fishman/Todd a photo of the related article would be much appreciated........Paul