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1 Kahavanu - Rajendra Chola Debased Gold
| Issuer | Chola dynasty (Indian Hindu Dynasties) |
|---|---|
| Year | 960-1070 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Proto-Nagari |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The kahavanu — derived from the Sinhala *kahapana* — was the dominant gold currency of Sri Lanka and South India through the early medieval period, and Rajendra Chola's conquest of Sri Lanka between 1017 and 1019 gave the dynasty direct control over both the island's trade networks and its coinage conventions. This piece belongs to the debased issues associated with later Chola production, where gold purity declined measurably from the benchmark set by earlier Rajaraja I-era strikes.
The debasement likely reflects the enormous financial strain of Rajendra's naval campaigns — including the extraordinary 1025 expedition against the Srivijaya empire, which stretched Chola logistical resources across the Bay of Bengal.