2026-07-18 Sat

Tripuri is identified with the modern village of Tewar, located near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, within the Narmada Valley. In ancient times, it was a prominent urban center and served as the capital of the Chedi region. Centuries later, it became the capital of the Kalachuri dynasty, ruling roughly between the 8th and 13th centuries CE.

The city-state of Tripuri issued copper coins that are considered rare for the post-Mauryan period, particularly from the late 3rd to 1st century BCE in central India. These coins are typically die-struck and uniface or single-sided, made of copper, potin, or bronze, and are often described as karshapana-style issues.

They commonly feature Brahmi inscriptions along with symbolic motifs such as hills, crescents, and crosses—design elements characteristic of central Indian civic coinage. These coins are highly valued by collectors due to their inscriptions naming the issuing authority and their distinctive iconography. They also serve as important historical evidence of regional political fragmentation and localized minting practices following the decline of the Mauryan Empire.

The above Tripuri copper coin weighs 7.99 grams. It is a uniface coin depicting a three-arched hill symbol accompanied by a crescent and a hollow cross, along with the Brahmi legend “Tipuri.” The coin is sharply struck, remains in uncirculated condition, and is considered very rare in this grade.