Potin Unit - Kadambas of Banavasi

The Kadambas of Banavasi were among the earliest dynasties to assert independent rule in the Deccan following the fragmentation of Gupta imperial influence in the western regions. Their coinage, struck in potin — a low-grade alloy of copper, tin, and lead — reflects practical rather than ceremonial priorities, circulating at the subsistence level of a regional agrarian economy. At 0.37g, this is exceptionally light even within the already diminutive Kadamba potin series, suggesting either significant metal economy or prolonged use as a fractional unit within local exchange networks.