1 Karshapana

The Mauryan karshapana was not issued by a central mint in any modern sense — punches were applied by multiple authorities across a vast administrative network, meaning no two examples are strictly identical. Chandragupta's consolidation of the subcontinent after Alexander's withdrawal created urgent demand for a standardized exchange medium across territories previously using dozens of local punch-marked systems. The weight standard itself derived from the earlier janapada coinage tradition, adapted rather than replaced.