When A Hunch Pays Off... Pre-Maurya AR Karshapana

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Author	Replies: 4 / Views: 1,214
Finn235 Pillar of the Community United States 6130 Posts	Posted 05/30/2017 1:47 pm Against my better judgement, I couldn't pass this one up. India, Magadha Kingdom AR punchmarked Karshapana c. 420-350 BC 19x24mm, 3.37g This one was being sold as a Maurya "king Ashoka punchmark" but it had too many punchmarks, and the style just seemed off. I was able to win it for $15. As soon as I got it in hand, I knew my hunch was correct: According to CoinIndia, the Magadha Kingdom adopted the Karshapana weight standard (3.4g) in about 420 BC and initially made very large, thin coins, but rampant countermarking made it almost impossible to "read" the official marks, forcing the use of much more compact flans. The Magadha Kingdom was usurped and taken over by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BC, giving rise to the Maurya Empire after that. Here is Coinindia's vcoins page for these coins: https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/co...List=&page=1 Report this Post to the Staff

echizento Moderator United States 23731 Posts	Posted 05/30/2017 2:39 pm That is a super coin, I count at least 14 punch marks on it. Report this Post to the Staff
Spence Moderator United States 34418 Posts	Posted 05/30/2017 3:28 pm Great pick-up! The flan is almost just countermarks, with almost no flat field left. "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
Kamnaskires Pillar of the Community United States 7066 Posts	Posted 05/30/2017 8:26 pm That is one punchy coin...as Dave says, almost no negative space left over. Excellent pickup there, Steve. Well done. Thanks for showing it here. Report this Post to the Staff
Finn235 Pillar of the Community United States 6130 Posts	Posted 05/31/2017 11:01 am Thanks, all. Interestingly, this type is supposed to have only 5 punches, at least two of which are the "solar" symbol and the "six-arm" symbol, both of which are visible on the right "tip" of the obverse, as well as on the reverse. I am assuming that the second picture is the reverse because theoretically nothing should be there besides unofficial banker's marks; all of the punches on that side are much weaker than on the first side. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 4 / Views: 1,214

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