The top token is more problematic to read. The language is again Sanskrit, I think, but not clearly legible. The script is Devanagri, as is that of the other token. The first two words on the obverse say Ram Laxman ( Two brothers in the Hindu epic Ramayana.) On the reverse, the bottom profile may be of the monkey god Hanuman. The story goes that during the 14 years when Ram and Laxman were in exile in the forest, Ram's devoted wife Sita was abducted by Ravana and taken to Sri Lanka. Hanuman found her and was instrumental in reuniting the couple. I don't know if the seated figure under the umbrella is Sita, or if some god or goddess is traditionally depicted under an umbrella. I just read that sometime, deadly emotions such as anger are depicted as a serpent. That might be a serpent near one of the brothers, but it's unclear.
The top one is called a Ramatanka token. Here's a link to one of the older
existing versions of a Ramatanka temple coin in the British Museum:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/cm/g/gold_ramatanka_charm.aspx
"In India coins are seen as symbols of good fortune as well as wealth.
This resulted in the production of imitation coins that were intended to
serve purely as charms to ward off bad luck." (gold token from 16th-17th
century illustrated)
Here's a list of guesses of values of a Ramatanka coin more like yours:
http://www.coinquest.com/cgi-bin/cq/coins?main_coin=521&main_ct_id=152
(modern base metal issues valued at $5, genuine ancient tokens valued starting
at $250)
Joel's Coins sells a brass Ramatanka token similar to the top token illustrated above for $4.75 (scroll down the page to find it). [I have bought stuff from Joel a couple times and have always been very pleased with the items and service.]
Bob
Reis has some similar tokens for sale. Here's what he says about them:
INDIA, religious tokens - The general principles of religious tokens are
that they can serve as handy offerings and as portable shrines. You can
conveniently buy them outside the temple and then take them inside to lay
on the altar. Priest can come along afterward and sell it back to the vendor.
Profit all around. Or you can carry it around in your pocket, take it out
anywhere, do your observance, put it back in your pocket. In India they've
been making them for thousands of years. Today the round-flat coinoids are
very popular gifts for birthdays, weddings, etc. If you search the web for
"Ganesh coins" or "Laxmi coins" you will find dozens
of sites selling modern silver gift "coins."
Know anything about this token? Please send me a note: pineconeforge(at)gmail.com
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mystery tokens.
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