i n d i a

The earliest Indian coinage began about 600 BC in the Ganges valley and adjacent regions with a series of punchmarked issues. A brief synopsis of the history of all the different cultures listed below is in the works. The organization follows Mitchiner's Ancient and Classical World and Non-Islamic States.


r e f e r e n c e s


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Please also see Pankaj Tandon's site, CoinIndia, the Virtual Museum of Indian Coins
and Dr. Nupam Mahajan's site on the History and Coins of India


Pre-Mauryan Period (circa 600 - 321 BC)

Kashi Kingdom

Kosala Kingdom

Magadha Kingdom

[punchmark]11K JPG
Successors of Ajatashatru (462 - 414 BC)
AR Karshapana
Mitchiner ACW 3939v.; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 294v. (type III I A 9)
19 mm.
3.30 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: At least 5 punched symbols including: Sun; 6-armed symbol; three 'lotus buds', each containing a taurine symbol; three fish (?) or plants (?) arranged geometrically around a central anulet; plant symbol.
Reverse: 3 punched symbols: Eye (?), four-fingered hand print (?) and sun.

[punchmark]20K JPG
Successors of Ajatashatru (462 - 414 BC)
AR Karshapana
Mitchiner ACW 3983v.; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 299v. (type III II A 6)
24 x 20 mm.
3.27 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 6 punched symbols including: 2 suns; 6-armed symbol; cartouche containing elephant goad, fish (?) and taurine symbol; railed tree of taurine symbols with fish (?), left, underneath; standard (?) with tail curling to the left.
Reverse: Blank.

[punchmark]23K JPG
Period of Saisunaga and Kalasoka (circa 420 BC)
AR Karshapana
Mitchiner ACW 3997v.; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 305v. (type III IV A 1)
22 mm.
3.11 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: Overstruck on earlier issue. Traces of at least 9 punched symbols including: 2 suns; 6-armed symbol; elephant; dog surrounded by taurine symbols.
Reverse: Traces of undertype; numerous bankers marks.

[punchmark]15K JPG
Period of the Eight Sons of Mahapadma Nanda (circa 340 - 320 BC)
AR Karshapana
Mitchiner ACW 4054v.; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 442v. (type IV XXXII A 1)
22 x 14 mm.
3.40 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 6 punched symbols: Sun, 6-armed symbol, plant on hill symbol, humped bull, elephant and taurine (?) symbol.
Reverse: Blank.

Upper Ganges Valley

Kuru and Panchala
[Kuru]17K JPG
Anonymous (circa 400 - 350 BC)
AE Satamana
Mitchiner ACW 4069
14 x 25 x 5 mm.
11.54 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: Septa-radiate symbol stamped at each end of bar.
Reverse: Blank.

[Kuru]7K JPG
Anonymous (circa 400 - 350 BC)
AR Karshapana
Mitchiner ACW -
14 x 11 mm.
1.58 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: Triskeles with crescents and dots.
Reverse: Blank.

Indus Valley

Taxila and Gandhara
[Narrow Bent Bar]24K JPG
Anonymous (circa 500 - 300 BC)
AR Satamana
Mitchiner ACW 4076
43 x 10 x 3 mm.
10.67 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: Septa-radiate symbol at each end; three other punchmarks (single pellet, heart shape with two pellets [Jalalabad (?)], two crescents, one pellet, two 'insects' [Taxila (?)].
Reverse: Blank.

[Narrow Bent Bar]16K JPG
Anonymous (circa 500 - 300 BC)
AR Satamana
Mitchiner ACW 4073v.
36 x 10 x 4 mm.
8.08 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: Septa-radiate symbol at each end.
Reverse: Blank.

[Indus]8K JPG
Anonymous (circa 500 - 300 BC)
AR 1/8 Satamana
Mitchiner ACW 4079
14 mm.
1.25 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: Septa-radiate symbol.
Reverse: Blank.

Narbada Valley

Avanti Kingdom
[Avanti]7K JPG
Anonymous (circa 400 - 312 BC)
AR 1/2 Karshapana (Animal series)
Mitchiner ACW 4107
12 x 8 mm.
1.56 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: Very stylized fish above lion; taurine punchmarks.
Reverse: Taurine punchmark.
Note: Although attributed to the period of the Avanti Kingdom by Mitchiner, and to the area around Malwa, other sources report that these coins are only found to the northeast, in the Surasena area (Mathura). [see Jain, Ancient Indian Coinage, page 46]

Saurashtra Penninsula

Eastern Deccan

Mauryan Empire (321 - 187 BC)

[punchmark]10K JPG
Period of Chandragupta (circa 321 - 297 BC)
AR Karshapana (Mathura mint/Series V)
Mitchiner ACW 4215; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 523 (type V XVI C 112)
15 x 12 mm.
3.43 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 5 punched symbols: Sun, 6-armed symbol, four bull heads around pellet, figure walking left and dog or hare within crescent.
Reverse: Four bull heads around pellet (Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 14).

[punchmark]2K JPG
General series (circa 321 - 187 BC)
AR One Ratti
Mitchiner ACW 4272; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC -
4 mm.
0.11 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 1 punched symbol: 6-armed symbol.
Reverse: Blank.

[punchmark]10K JPG
Period of Ashoka (circa 272 - 232 BC)
AR Karshapana (Secondary mint (Mathura, et al.) /Series Vb)
Mitchiner ACW 4229 - 4234v.; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 510v. (type V XIV A 21)
11 x13 mm.
3.40 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: At least 5 punched symbols: Sun; 6-armed symbol; Ashoka's regal symbol; tree (?), bull.
Reverse: Pellet surrounded by 4 crescents (Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 478) stamped over rooster on stupa symbol (Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 265); 2 large crescents with pellet weakly struck.

[punchmark]9K JPG
Period of Kunala (circa 232 - 224 BC)
AR Karshapana (Malwa mint (Ujjain)/Series VII)
Mitchiner ACW 4245v.; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 590 (type VII II C 24)
12 x15 mm.
2.42 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 3 punched symbols: 3 figures, rooster on stupa and geometrical symbol.
Reverse: Rooster on stupa symbol (Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 477).

[punchmark]9K JPG
Period of Dasaratha (circa 224 - 216 BC)
AR Karshapana (Pataliputra mint/Series VI)
Mitchiner ACW 4185; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 571 (type VI IV E 27)
12 x 11 mm.
3.34 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 5 punched symbols: Sun, 6-armed symbol, humped bull, stupa, 'm' within rectangle.
Reverse: Four bull heads around pellet (Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 14).

[punchmark]10K JPG
Period of Samprati (circa 216 - 207 BC)
AR Karshapana (Pataliputra mint/Series VI)
Mitchiner ACW 4195-4197; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 574 (type VI IV F 145)
15 x 12 mm.
3.42 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 5 punched symbols: Sun, 6-armed symbol, hill symbol, plant symbol and humped bull.
Reverse: Pellet surrounded by 2 crescents and 2 arrow-type symbols (Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 473 'Taxila' symbol).

[punchmark]13K JPG
Period of Samprati (circa 216 - 207 BC)
AR Karshapana (Pataliputra mint/Series VI)
Mitchiner ACW 4195-4197; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 574 (type VI IV F 145)
14 x16 mm.
3.28 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 5 punched symbols: Sun, 6-armed symbol, hill symbol, plant symbol and humped bull.
Reverse: Pellet surrounded by 2 crescents and 2 arrow-type symbols (Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 473 'Taxila' symbol).

[punchmark]12K JPG
Period of Samprati (circa 216 - 207 BC)
AR Karshapana (Pataliputra mint/Series VI)
Mitchiner ACW 4195-4197; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 574 (type VI IV F 145)
16 x 13 mm.
3.34 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 5 punched symbols: Sun, 6-armed symbol, hill symbol, plant symbol and humped bull.
Reverse: Pellet surrounded by 2 crescents and 2 arrow-type symbols (Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 473 'Taxila' symbol).

[punchmark]12K JPG
Period of Samprati (circa 216 - 207 BC)
AR Karshapana (Malwa mint (Ujjain)/Series VII)
Mitchiner ACW 4247v.; Gupta/Hardaker ISPC 584v. (type VII I A 18)
14 mm.
3.42 gm.
Die position=n/a
reverse
Obverse: 5 punched symbols: 3 separate human figures, dog and Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 18.
Reverse: 'Standard' (Gupta/Hardaker ISPC mark 474).



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