Indian Tipu Sultan Coin, .50 Paise, Elephant Motif

Heavy-bodied elephant striding left under a small canopy of vertical lines.

This Tipu Sultan copper coin, half paise, with an elephant motif is from Karnataka, India. Mysore under Tipu Sultan issued copper coins in several fractions of the paisa, and the smaller denominations are modest in size and weight. Squarish, thick coin in deep green-brown. A solid elephant fills the lower half, with thick legs and a rounded back, while short vertical strokes rise above. One small green patch glints near the right edge. It is 0.75 inches in diameter.

Sturdy and walking steadily, the way elephants do.