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⅒ Unit - Kyaikkatha
| Issuer | Kingdom of Kyaikkatha (Mon Kingdoms) |
|---|---|
| Year | 775-825 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The central field displays an almost angular Srivatsa — an auspicious Brahmanical symbol — rendered in a geometric, stylized manner characteristic of Mon coinage, with a further abstracted inner symbol at its core. Above the Srivatsa appear ancillary symbols in the upper field. To the right of the central device is a simplified bhadrapitha (throne or pedestal motif), and to the left a swastika, both serving as secondary auspicious emblems flanking the primary design. The composition is enclosed within the coin's irregular hammered flan, with no encircling border or inscriptions present. The execution is typical of the schematic, symbol-based coinage produced by the Mon polities of the Kyaikkatha region during the late 8th to early 9th century. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Mon kingdoms of lower Burma produced coinage well before most neighboring polities had formalized minting, and Kyaikkatha — centered near the Thanlwin delta — was among the earliest issuing authorities in the region. These fractional silver pieces circulated in a trading economy oriented around maritime routes connecting the Gulf of Martaban to the Bay of Bengal, where standardized small-denomination silver had practical advantages over barter or bullion weight exchange.
Attributing specific pieces to Kyaikkatha versus other Mon centers remains genuinely contested among specialists, with assignments often resting on findspot evidence rather than epigraphy alone.