Catalog
1 Unit Electrum - Kyaikto
| Issuer | Kyaikto region (Mon Kingdoms) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1-200 |
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| Composition | Electrum |
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| Obverse description | Central device depicting a sankha (conch shell) rendered in raised relief, displayed in profile within a plain field. The design is characteristic of early Mon coinage, with the conch shell symbol occupying the majority of the flan. The irregular hammered flan exhibits typical characteristics of ancient Southeast Asian coinage of the 1st–2nd centuries CE. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A triratna (group of three jewels) arranged in a clustered formation beneath the indrayasti (standard or sri-vatsa symbol), rendered in shallow relief. The three jewels, representing the Buddhist concept of the triple gem, are depicted in a conventional stylized form typical of early Mon religious coinage. The design occupies the center of the irregularly shaped hammered flan, with the field showing natural surface variations consistent with the ancient striking technique. |
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| Additional information |
The Mon Kingdoms of Lower Burma rank among the earliest polities in Southeast Asia to produce standardized coinage, and the Kyaikto region issues are the least documented subset of an already poorly understood series. Attribution to specific ruling centers remains contested — the assignation to Kyaikto rests largely on findspot evidence rather than any inscribed authority. Electrum composition in this series varies considerably between specimens, with gold content ranging enough that some researchers treat the alloy variation as intentional denomination signaling rather than metallurgical inconsistency.