Punch Marked Coin, Panchala Janapada (400-350 BC), Silver Vimshatika, (wt: 4.35 grams, Dia: 27.5 x 26.6 mm), (Hardekar 2019 # WH 9)

Obverse : four punches consisting of two composite 'S'shaped geometrical designs and other two geometrical designs.
Reverse: various banker's marks. 

Comment :
Panchala, one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas of ancient India, occupied much of present-day western Uttar Pradesh. It was divided into northern and southern territories, with capitals at Ahichhatra and Kampilya respectively. The region was an important centre of early Indian culture and is closely associated with King Drupada and Draupadi in the Mahabharata tradition.

This silver Vimshatika, attributed to Panchala, represents the early monetary traditions of the Ganga plains before the Mauryan Empire. Its four separately applied punches, including two composite S-shaped designs, illustrate the distinctive geometric imagery of this coinage. The reverse marks, conventionally described as bankers’ marks, provide a tangible link to the coin’s circulation and handling in ancient commerce. Rare.