Catalog
1 Kyat / Rupee - Bodawpaya
| Issuer | Konbaung Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1797 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 10 g |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by the Sri Sri Sri device, comprising two interlocked triangles forming a hexagram-like royal symbol, flanked on either side by a conch shell (sankha), emblems of royalty and Buddhist authority. Above the central device, three flames or finials rise from small pedestals, representing the Three Jewels of Buddhism. The entire design is enclosed within a plain inner circle and a prominent outer border of raised pellets, characteristic of Konbaung Dynasty hammered coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central field bearing a stylised Burmese royal crown or headdress rendered in bold relief, with three upward-sweeping projections surmounted by a pointed finial, evoking the tiered pyatthat spire of Burmese royal architecture. Below the crown, a series of small oval pellets and two curved crescent-like bands descend toward the lower field, symbolising royal regalia. Two small raised pellets appear at the left and right margins of the field. The design is unlettered and enclosed within a plain circular border, the flan exhibiting the characteristic irregular outline and file marks of hand-produced hammered coinage. |
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| Additional information |
Bodawpaya, the sixth king of the Konbaung Dynasty, issued this rupee-weight silver coin against a backdrop of aggressive territorial expansion — his reign saw the conquest of Arakan in 1784 and the forced displacement of tens of thousands, including the removal of the sacred Mahamuni Buddha image to Mandalay. Burmese coinage of this period drew heavily from the Indian rupee tradition in weight standard, reflecting sustained cross-border trade through Bengal and Manipur, both of which fell within Bodawpaya's contested sphere of influence.