2017-06-19 Mon

The period of Ancient Chola is also known as Sangam Age. They are mentioned for the very first time in the Ashoka’s rock edict.
Talking about their coinage (ancient Chola), not many coins have come to the light. So from the total number of coins have been found or cataloged till today, the following things can be noted:

1. There are no silver coins of the Ancient Cholas, all the coins so far have been found in only Copper. This holds particularly true for the multi-symbol types of which only a few specimens are found and are in square shape. 2. The multi-symbol types have the elephant, railed tree, river line, Hill symbol, ankus and fish tank. 3. One thing can be observed that Cholas always maintained tiger as their dynastic emblem since ancient times (as the tiger is seen on the reverse side of the coin). While the other series are found to have depictions of elephant and horse, umbrella.

Also, there are two portrait coins found which are attributed to Ancient Cholas.

The given specimen is a Copper Square Unit weighing around 2.56 grams. Standing elephant is depicted on the obverse and lion standing facing left with the upraised paw on the reverse.