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1/8 Karshapana Malwa Region
| Issuer | Mauryan Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 322 BC - 185 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/8 Karshapana |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Irregular square copper flan bearing multiple punch-marked devices applied in the characteristic Mauryan punch-marking tradition. The field displays a series of symbolic punch impressions, including what appears to be a humped bull or animal figure to the lower left and a large curvilinear symbol — possibly a sun or taurine motif — prominently struck to the right. Additional smaller punches are scattered across the flan, consistent with the multi-punch authentication system employed by Mauryan monetary authorities in the Malwa region. The surface exhibits a granular, olive-brown patina with areas of green cuprite corrosion typical of ancient Indian copper coinage. The flan edges are rough and uneven, as expected of hand-cut punch-marked issues. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (322 BC - 185 BC) |
| Additional information |
The Mauryan copper fractions remain among the least-documented denominations in the imperial punch-marked series. While the silver karshapana carried the empire's official punch marks with some consistency, copper fractions were often struck regionally with less central oversight, making attribution to specific administrative centers genuinely difficult. The Malwa plateau, situated across major trade routes connecting the Gangetic plain to the western ports, produced its own local variants throughout Mauryan rule.
Ashoka's edicts reference copper coinage in the context of market regulation, suggesting these small fractions were actively managed — not merely tolerated — by the imperial administration.