1/8 Karshapana Malwa Region

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.