Extremely Rare 1 Karshapana Silver Punch Marked Mauryan Empire Coin | India’s First Coin of Chandragupt Maurya | Ancient India Magadh Dynasty Collectible Coins # A246

Rare silver punch marked Karshapana of ancient India, attributable to the Mauryan Empire series of punch marked coinage. The irregular squarish flan carries several separately applied symbol punches on the obverse, including a clear sun or radiate wheel symbol at the left edge, a six armed symbol and further geometric and animal type marks. The reverse is largely plain with a single faint punch, as is usual for this series.

• Denomination: 1 Karshapana
• Period: Mauryan Empire, punch marked coinage of ancient India
• Metal: silver, alloyed
• Size: about 21.4 mm across the irregular flan
• Condition: Fine, with honest circulation wear and old surface marks
• Mint: not identifiable; punch marked coinage carries no mint mark

The images show the actual item the buyer will receive.

Step back to the dawn of Indian currency with this extraordinary 1 Karshapana silver punch-marked coin, dating back to the legendary Mauryan Empire under the reign of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya and the Magadh Dynasty. Crafted from ancient silver alloy, this museum-grade piece measures approximately 21.4 mm across its distinctive, irregular squarish flan. The obverse is stamped with several fascinating, separately applied symbol punches, featuring a prominent radiate sun wheel and the iconic six-armed symbol alongside ancient geometric and animal motifs, while the reverse bears a characteristic faint single punch. Rated in Fine condition, it displays authentic, heavy historical circulation wear that only centuries of antiquity can provide. Because punch-marked coins predate formal mint marks and inscriptions, each surviving piece is a unique physical archive of India’s earliest monetary system. History enthusiasts and advanced numismatists prize these rare antiquities for their tangible connection to the birth of a subcontinent’s imperial economy. Please note that the photographs display the exact, one-of-a-kind specimen you will receive in your collection.