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1 Karshapana
| Issuer | Mauryan Empire (India (ancient)) |
|---|---|
| Year | 321 BC - 150 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Punch-marked |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Obverse field bearing multiple punch-marked symbols applied in the characteristic Mauryan imperial style, including a sun symbol, a six-armed symbol, and various geometric and symbolic devices. The punches are deeply impressed into the irregular silver flan, with each symbol occupying a distinct area of the flat surface. The iconographic repertoire is consistent with official Mauryan imperial punch-marked coinage, featuring symbols associated with royal authority and auspicious emblems. The surface shows natural wear and patination consistent with ancient circulation. No legend or inscription is present, as was standard for punch-marked coinage of this period. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Reverse field displaying a single banker's or secondary punch mark, featuring what appears to be a hill or tree symbol with associated geometric devices, applied off-center on the plain silver surface. The flan is smooth and slightly convex, typical of Mauryan karshapana production, with the punch impression shallower than those on the obverse. The relatively uncluttered field highlights the isolated counter-mark, which may represent a banker's validation or a regional secondary punch. No inscriptions or legends are present. The silver surface retains a pleasing original grey patina with minor surface granularity consistent with age. |
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| Additional information |
The Mauryan karshapana represents one of the oldest punch-marked coinage traditions in South Asia, with individual coins sometimes bearing five or more separate punches applied by different officials at different stages — a minting and authentication process still not fully understood by scholars. The irregularly shaped flans were cut from rolled silver sheet, which is why no two pieces share identical outlines.
At the dynasty's peak under Chandragupta and Ashoka, the imperial treasury managed silver supplies on a scale documented in the Arthashastra, Kautilya's administrative treatise that specifies acceptable weight tolerances and fraud penalties for mint workers.