Catalog
Karshapana Ancient Central Malwa
| Issuer | Vidisha, City of |
|---|---|
| Year | 200 BC - 150 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Three punchmarked symbols applied to the flat, irregularly square flan: the Ujjain symbol (a cross with four circles at the terminals), a tree-in-railing motif, and a triangle-headed standard. The punches are impressed into the copper surface in the characteristic Central Malwa tradition, each symbol occupying a distinct zone of the field. The overall surface exhibits the rough, granular texture typical of cast copper punchmarked coinage of the early historical period in central India. |
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| Reverse description | The reverse is entirely blank, with no punches, symbols, or inscriptions, presenting only the plain, unworked copper flan surface with natural casting texture and patination consistent with ancient burial and circulation wear. |
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| Additional information |
Vidisha — modern Besnagar in Madhya Pradesh — was among the most commercially active cities of the Sunga period, positioned at the confluence of the Betwa and Bes rivers and serving a trade corridor that linked the Gangetic plains to the Deccan. City-issue copper coinage of this type circulated locally and regionally, distinct from the punch-marked silver karshapanas of imperial issue. The punch symbols on Vidisha municipal copper have been catalogued as a distinct regional group, with combinations specific enough to confirm civic rather than royal authority behind the striking.