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Tiger Fanam - Chola Dynasty
| Issuer | Chola dynasty (Indian Hindu Dynasties) |
|---|---|
| Year | 900-1200 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Fanam |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Reverse struck from a flat or slightly concave die, bearing a partially legible inscription in what appears to be a Nagari or proto-Nagari script, rendered in low relief. The legend is fragmentary and difficult to resolve due to the small flan size, the irregular strike, and the characteristic wear associated with these diminutive gold fanams. The field is otherwise plain, with no additional devices or symbols clearly discernible. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The Chola fanams circulated across a trading network that stretched from the Coromandel Coast into Southeast Asia, where South Indian merchant guilds — particularly the Ayyavole — carried them as far as Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. At half a gram of gold, they were small enough to be swallowed, hidden in cloth, or stacked in quantity, which suited long-distance spice and textile transactions where portability mattered more than denomination precision. Weights varied noticeably across the three-century span of this type, and assaying was routine at point of exchange.