Maybe A Punch-Marked Coin From India?

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Author	Replies: 3 / Views: 2,787
Spence Moderator United States 34447 Posts	Posted 01/09/2016 2:39 pm Here is what I know: Planchet is oblong (11 mm x 15 mm) and relatively thick (3 mm). Weight is 2.3 g and appears to be silver. Obverse has one leafy-looking device and maybe parts of one or two other details. Reverse is completely granular. No parting line on edge--it appears to be struck not cast. I have had this in my junk pile for a very long time and don't remember anything about its provenance. I know that the Mauryan Empire issued punch-marked coins with a variety of starbursts, geometric shapes animals, etc. but not sure if this is the right attribution. Any thoughts? "If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb "The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz Report this Post to the Staff

echizento Moderator United States 23731 Posts	Posted 01/09/2016 3:39 pm to the community It's possible, but Mauryan punched mark coins are usually silver and more irregular shaped. Report this Post to the Staff
Kamnaskires Pillar of the Community United States 7066 Posts	Posted 01/09/2016 4:25 pm Mauryan coins also had pretty easily identified (recognizable) punches...there were only so many of them, and they are all well documented. I don't recognize the punch on yours, spence. Some of the "janapadas" of ancient India created punch coins that resemble the shape and perhaps the fabric of your coin, like this one from the Vidarbha janapada. However, without more to go by, I think it's a stretch to suggest your coin is from one of those. Welcome to the board, by the way. Report this Post to the Staff
Spence Moderator United States 34447 Posts	Posted 01/09/2016 7:11 pm Ok very good. Thank you echizento and Bob L. I have looked at some of the coins at the coinindia.com website since I don't have much expertise in this area. In particular, coins from the "Magadha Janapada" generally had five punches or stamps as you described. Interestingly, one of these stamps (a bull), can have legs which look a lot like the so-called leaf. See below for an image from this website. The bull stamp is on the left. I also note that several other stamps are surrounded by a relatively square impression, of which one corner could be visible on my coin. The mass and dimensions are less with my coin, but this could be due to the extensive environmental damage I think. I think that I have enough for a tentative attribution, unless anyone has anything further to add. Thanks! "If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb "The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz Report this Post to the Staff
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