Catalog
1/2 Karshapana
| Issuer | Ujjain region (Malwa Plateau) |
|---|---|
| Year | 200 BC - 100 BC |
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| Reference(s) | PAIC - Pieper#379 |
| Obverse description | Central Ujjain symbol — a cross-like device with four circles at the terminals — occupies the middle of the field. To the upper right, a large single-orbed concentric circle symbol is prominently struck. To the left, a railed tree (Bodhi tree motif within a railing enclosure) is depicted. Above the central Ujjain symbol, a rectangular fish tank or pond motif is placed, while a wavy river or water line runs along the lower register. A swastika and indradhwaja (standard) device appear to the right of the central symbol, completing the characteristic regional iconographic programme of the Ujjain punch-marked series. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (200 BC - 100 BC) |
| Additional information |
The punch-marked and cast coinages of the Malwa Plateau represent one of the least systematically catalogued areas of ancient Indian numismatics. Ujjain itself was a major commercial node on routes connecting the Gangetic plain to the western ports, and the fractional denominations from this region almost certainly circulated alongside silver Karshapanas of Mauryan and post-Mauryan issue rather than replacing them. Pieper 379 is a relatively tight attribution for what remains a contested typological grouping.