★ The ancient Indian board game pachisi ★

INDIA, Pre-Mauryan (Chambal Valley). Matsya Janapada. Circa 500-400 BC. 1/2 Vimshatika (Silver, 12 mm, 2.73 g). Single punch: a cross depicting pachisi, an ancient board game. Rev. Blank. Not listed in Rajgor, but published in Sharad Sharma, Numismatic Digest, Vols. 29-30 (2005-2006). A very rare and interesting type. The obverse struck somewhat off center and with some deposits, otherwise, good very fine.

From a German collection of Indian coins and from a collection of coins from Central Asia, Leu Web Auction 13, 15-16 August 2020, 642.

This issue depicts the ancient Indian board game, pachisi (also called chaupar), which was first described in the epic Mahabharata. It was played on a distinctive 4-armed board shaped like a cross, using cowrie shells as dice.