Māsaka
Māsaka，[fr．māsa2+ka=māsa3] lit．a small bean，used as a standard of weight & value； hence a small coin of very low value．Of copper，wood & lac （DhsA．318； cp．KhA 37； jatu°，dāru°，loha°）； the suvaṇṇa° （golden m．） at J．IV，107 reminds of the “gold” in fairy tales．That its worth is next to nothing is seen from the descending progression of coins at DhA．III，108=VvA．77，which，beginning with kahāpaṇa， aḍḍha-pāda，places māsaka & kāhaṇikā next to mudhā “gratis．” It only “counts” when it amounts to 5 māsakas．-- Vin．III，47，67； IV，226 （pañca°）； J．I，112 （aḍḍha-māsakaṁ na agghati is worth nothing）； IV，107； V，135 （first a rain of flowers，then of māsakas，then kahāpaṇas）； DhA．II，29 （pañca-m．-mattaṁ a sum of 5 m．）； PvA．282 （m+aḍḍha° half-pennies & farthings，as children’s pocket-money）．（Page 531）