Palani :

Coins pertaining to the Pandya dynasty dating back to the 13th century AD have been found in the collection of a numismatist in Palani recently.

V Narayanamoorthy, an archaeologist from Palani in Dindigul district was told about the collection of one numismatist Sugumar Bose. When he had gone to review the collection he found a coin dating back to the 13th century AD and was of one of the Pandya kings Sundarapandian.

“Bose told me that he had had it in his collection for about six years now and it was discovered by a sand miner on the Shanmuganathi riverbed who had given it to him. He, howeve,r did not know the importance of this rare coin,” Narayanamoorthy said.

Narayanamoorthy also said that the coin had the royal emblem of the Pandya dynasty with two fish in a standing position and the weapon known as the ‘chendu’ in the middle. The bronze coin weighing 800 mg and measuring 15 mm in diameter had the name ‘Sundaran’ inscribed on it and the word had been split in two lines.

This was a region that was ruled by the Cholas as well as the Pandyas and also thrived as an important trade centre in the past, he said. What makes this coin unique is that it contained the name of the king in full form as ‘Sundaran’ whereas similar coins discovered in this region had the name mentioned only as ‘Su’ depicting the first letter of the name or ‘Sundar’ which was also an incomplete form, he said.

About six to seven Pandya kings with the name Sundarapandian are said to have ruled the dynasty during a period of about 75 years during the 13{+t}{+h} century and the one following it, so it is not known which king is mentioned here. “But, this rare coin would definitely throw more light into that history,” Narayanamoorthy said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / TNN / February 11th, 2014