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1/4 Karshapana
| Issuer | Mauryan Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 322 BC - 185 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Flat silver flan bearing five punch-marked symbols applied individually by separate dies, including a solar symbol (sun with radiating rays), a reptile or lizard figure, and a spindle or reel motif, arranged across the surface of the coin without a fixed compositional order. The punch marks are characteristic of the Mauryan imperial coinage tradition, each symbol struck independently into the metal surface. The field is plain between the punches, and the irregular flan edges reflect the hand-cut preparation of the blank. No inscriptions or legends are present. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (322 BC - 185 BC) |
| Additional information |
The Mauryan punch-marked coinage system is among the oldest documented state-issued currency in South Asia, predating the better-known Greek influence on Indian numismatics. These fractional pieces circulated across an empire stretching from the Hindu Kush to Bengal, facilitating trade in a highly monetized economy that Greek ambassadors like Megasthenes described with evident surprise.
Authentication is the central challenge with this series. Forgeries and post-Mauryan imitations were produced in antiquity, and distinguishing genuine imperial issues from regional copies requires attention to punch placement and silver fineness rather than any single visual marker.