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1 Karshapana - Magadh - Mauryan Silver Punch Marked Coin 321 BC to 185 BCE
| Issuer | Mauryan Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 321 BC - 185 BC |
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| Currency | Karshapana (322 BC to 185 BC) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Reverse displaying a largely plain, unpunched silver surface with natural flow lines and patination resulting from burial and age, consistent with the typical reverse of Mauryan punch-marked karshapanas. The flan exhibits an irregular, roughly polygonal outline with slightly raised edges from the original cutting and hammering process. Occasional faint banker's marks or secondary punch impressions may be present, applied by merchants to verify the coin's authenticity and silver content. The surface shows characteristic reddish-brown and dark mineralized encrustation in areas, evidence of long-term burial. No intentional design, legend, or inscription appears on this face. |
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| Mintage | ND (321 BC - 185 BC) |
| Additional information |
The Mauryan karshapana is among the oldest standardized coinage produced at imperial scale anywhere in the ancient world. Chandragupta Maurya's administration inherited a punch-marked silver tradition already centuries old, but the Mauryan state systematized it — establishing weight standards enforced across an empire stretching from Gandhara to the Deccan. Kautilya's Arthashastra describes the state mint operation in detail, including penalties for counterfeit, making this one of the earliest coinages documented by a near-contemporary administrative text.
The 3.26g weight standard traces to the Magadha rati-based system, itself derived from the weight of the gunja seed.