http://www.delanceyplace.com/index.php Each day I get an email with an excerpt from a book selected to remind me how little (occasionally how much) I know about some subject. Sometimes these subjects touch on history and, even more rarely, on coins. Today's selection (link above) tells the story of Ashoka who ruled in India 304-232 BC. The piece says nothing about coins but coins of Ashoka are relatively common and easily identifiable. Indian punch marked silver comes cut in many shapes but both of the Ashoka coins I have owned have been rectangular. In this period there should be five punches on one side of the coin and one on the reverse. The five usually overlap to some degree making it worth a bit of searching to find coins with clear punches. Each of the five refines the ID of the coin starting with some (sun, six armed symbol) that appear on most punchmarked coins and ending with others that narrow it down to mints or issues but that I have not studied enough to explain here without driving me to research so early in the morning. Coins of Ashoka will have the sign on the reverse with the three circles connected by a line which this example has on both sides. The specific issue mark (of which there are many for Ashoka) appears just below and left of the Ashoka mark and overlars the triple hill mark in the lower right corner. My best guess on this mark is a standing soldier (Mitchiner 4178) but I am less than certain of this. There is a lot about Indian punchmarked silver I do not understand and many coins with symbols that overlap or are poorly struck to a point that I will avoid them. I'll stick to examples with readable marks at least to the degree of this example. Does anyone else find interest in these?
I find them super interesting!! (thanks for posting 'em) => I love old coins/artifacts from this era ... and I "love" counterstamps!! (punches, in this case) ... but sadly, as you well know, there are merely too many other coins/artifacts out there competing for my cash!! ... but maybe one day?
BTW, I have no idea how I got the 'ci' on the end of India but can't find a way to edit the title so I guess I'm stuck with it unless a moderator would like to edit it or kill the thread.
I find them interesting, but I know even less than you about them. Ashoka AR Drachm 272-232 BC Punchmarks Mitchiner 4227-4228 Ashoka AR Drachm 272-232 BC Punchmarks Mitchiner 4173-4174 Also, what 'ci' on India?
