The karshapana was not minted in any modern sense — these were punch-marked pieces, with each symbol applied by a separate punch, sometimes across multiple administrative sessions. The Mauryan state inherited and expanded an existing punch-mark tradition from earlier Magadha coinage, but under Chandragupta and his successors the system became increasingly standardized, likely to support the vast logistical demands of an empire stretching from the Indus to Bengal. Kautilya's Arthashastra explicitly details the office of the mint master and prescribes penalties for adulteration.
The Mitchiner range cited here spans nearly the entire dynasty — attribution to a specific reign is rarely possible without die study.
The karshapana was not minted in any modern sense — these were punch-marked pieces, with each symbol applied by a separate punch, sometimes across multiple administrative sessions. The Mauryan state inherited and expanded an existing punch-mark tradition from earlier Magadha coinage, but under Chandragupta and his successors the system became increasingly standardized, likely to support the vast logistical demands of an empire stretching from the Indus to Bengal. Kautilya's Arthashastra explicitly details the office of the mint master and prescribes penalties for adulteration.
The Mitchiner range cited here spans nearly the entire dynasty — attribution to a specific reign is rarely possible without die study.