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PB Unit
| Issuer | Tripuri, City of |
|---|---|
| Year | 101 BC - 1 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Lead |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Crude hammered lead unit of irregular flan, the obverse presenting a heavily worn and porous surface typical of lead coinage from the Tripuri city-state. Faint traces of a central device are visible in low relief, consistent with iconographic conventions of early Indian tribal or city-state issues of the 1st century BC. The design elements are largely indistinct due to metal degradation and the inherent softness of the lead fabric. The field is uneven with no clearly legible legend or inscription discernible. The overall style reflects the rudimentary die-cutting characteristic of locally produced punch or hammered lead issues of ancient central India. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse displays a similarly worn and corroded surface with faint traces of a standing or seated figure and what appears to be a symbol or object to the left, rendered in very low relief consistent with hammered lead coinage of the Tripuri city-state. A possible architectural or symbolic device is faintly discernible to the left of the central figure, characteristic of the iconographic repertoire of early Indian city-state issues. The flan edges are irregular and jagged, typical of cast or crudely hammered lead blanks of this period. No legible inscription or legend is apparent on the reverse field. The surface shows significant pitting and oxidation consistent with the extended burial or circulation history of ancient lead coinage. |
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| Additional information |
Tripuri, identified with modern Tewar near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, served as the capital of the Chedi kingdom and later flourished under the Kalachuri dynasty. Lead coinage of this type circulated as low-denomination currency in a regional economy where punch-marked silver handled larger transactions. The specific civic attribution — "City of" rather than a dynastic ruler — suggests municipal or mercantile issuing authority, a pattern seen at several central Indian urban centers during the late centuries BCE.