The Tale Of A Tiny Coin
Rediscovering a coin . I have had this coin for five decades now. Given by grandfather , along with a few British India coins, to add to my childhood hoard of collectibles . On one side : the image of the devi , Lakshmi ( or so I thought ) . On the other side : the name " Vijaya" , in kannada script ( or so I thought ). No markings of denomination or date . Clearly not real money , just a souvenir to commemorate some special puja in the Mysore palace (or so I thought ) . ( The Goddess and the script ) The coin , less than 1 cm in diameter , lies in perpetual hibernation , forgotten, in the bottom drawer, emerging only during spring cleaning sprees . Recently , the Vijaya Coin suddenly popped up - as an exhibit under glass . In Pudukottai museum that i was visiting . " Pudukottai Amman Cash - 1800 AD " ! Misshapen and struck earlier, but unmistakably , the same as mine . Same Goddess . Same Vijaya . No date. No denomination ...