The Earliest Coins of India

 

The earliest coins found in ancient India are generally referred to as punch-marked coins, minted and issued by the Janapadas between the 6^th and 4^th centuries BC. Janapadas were kingdoms that prospered during the Vedic period. They were social and cultural states that had their origins in 'jana', which means people, and 'pada', which means abode. Each Janapada was free to issue its own coins and had its own combination of punches on coins. Later, when these kingdoms were annexed by their powerful neighbours, these Janapadas transformed into Mahajanapadas. Ancient Buddhist texts like Anguttara Nikaya mention 'solasa mahajanapadas', i.e., Sixteen Mahajanapadas.

                     

                      Bent Bar

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            Mahajanapadas and Janapadas

Shatamana (silver bent bar) Gandhara, 600 BC, weight: 11.23 gm, length: 39 mm.

Amongst the earliest Indian coins is the Shatamana (silver bent bar) Gandhara, which dates back to 600 to 300 BC and is also called the Double Sigloi. The bent bar coins followed the Shatamana (100 rattis) standard with a weight of approximately 11 gm. The length of the coins ranges from 35 mm to 50 mm, while the width ranges from 8 mm to 20 mm. They bear at each end a deeply punched 'septra radiate' solar symbol with a dot within the central circle and six radiating arms.  

Taxila copper/billon bent bars, 450 BC. Weight: 9.6 gm, length: 28 mm.

Later, the Shatamanas started to get debased. The short bars were struck from low-quality silver that resembled copper.

Silver one eighth Shatamana from Taxila, Gandhara Janapada 600 to 400 BC.

The punch-marked coin above has the six-armed Gandharian symbol with a dot between two of the arms. The size of these coins ranges from 14 mm to 17 mm and the weight ranges from about 1.3 gm to 1.6 gm.

From Gandhara the idea of punch-marked coinage spread and soon these coins were minted in many regions of Northern and Central India

Silver Karshapanas from Magdha Janapada,500 BC

These coins weighed between 3.4 gm and 5.8 gm of silver and were issued from 600 to 400 BC. They featured from two punched-marked symbols initially to five punch-marked symbols in the later issues on the obverse.

Archaic punch marked Panchala Janapada, half Karshapana silver coin 400-350 BC, weight 0.3 to 1.8 gm.

                                                     

AR,1/4 Karshapana, Saurashtra Janapada, 450-400 

BC, weight 0.9 gm, Obverse: Srivatsa, uniface                                                   

AR half Karshapana, Avanti Janapada 300 BC, 

weight 1.6 gm

Obverse: Taurine symbols Reverse: blank

*Map courtesy Wikipedia.coinage of India