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1 Karshapana Late Mauryan Period
| Issuer | Mauryan Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 200 BC - 180 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Billon |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Reverse is blank and uninscribed, presenting a plain, flat to slightly convex flan surface with no intentional devices or punch marks. The surface exhibits natural patination consistent with the billon alloy, with minor surface irregularities resulting from the manufacturing process. This blank reverse is characteristic of Mauryan punch-marked karshapana coinage, where all symbolic content was concentrated on the obverse. |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Mintage | ND (200 BC - 180 BC) |
| Additional information |
The late Mauryan period saw the empire in steep decline following Ashoka's death, with the last emperor Brihadratha assassinated by his own general Pushyamitra Shunga around 185 BC. Coinage from these final decades reflects the administrative fragmentation — silver content in punch-marked pieces dropped sharply, producing the debased billon alloy characteristic of this issue. The Karshapana had been the backbone of Mauryan fiscal infrastructure for over a century by this point, its weight standard carefully maintained under earlier rulers before the system began to unravel.