COINS DURING THE ANCIENT PERIOD

The earliest coins of india have only figures,devices or symbols,and no legends.


1 GOLD COIN = 80 krishnalas.


silver currency consisted of krishnala ,masha, dharna, shatamana.


Copper coin was called karshapna was pana.


Smallest coin was 1/8 pana.( age of dharma shastras .)

6TH TO 4TH CENTURY B.C.


1 karshapna ( or kahapana ) weighed 140 grains.


No silver coins were used.No fixing of market price by the governament.


Daric - standard gold coin of persia.


Sigloi or shekels  -  persian silver coin.


The kushan kings issued dinar type of gold coins. They didnot issue any silver coin.


Kadphises - I  issued  copper coins bearing the figure of heracles.


Kadphises II ( vema kadphises ) issued gold coins bearing the figure of Lord Shiva.


THE COINS OF SAMUDRA GUPTA.  -   of 8 different types ,all gold. Excepting the tiger and lyrist type ( free from all traces of foreign infuence ) . all other coins bear legends.The standard type coins are mmost numerous. The peaked or conical head-dress of the kushans is replaced by a close fitting cap or an indian turban ( in some coins ,king is bare headed ). In place of Ardochso ,indian goddesses are substituted.He did not issue any silver coins.


CHANDRAGUPTA II  -   issued silver and copper coins.

He issued Lion and horseman type of coins . issued silver coins after his conquest of Western kshatraps.


SKANDA GUPTA ( 455 - 67 ) - issued three types of gold coins ,viz .,archer type ,lakshmi type and horseman type. silver coins were in circulation in the western and central india.


PURU GUPTHA ( A.D. 467-73 ) - Issued only archer type of gold coins.


SILVER COINS OF KUMAR GUPTA I ( 415 -455 ) - were issued for the home province ,garuda on the reverse was replaced by peacock.


Sir Richard Burn found silver coins out of which 9 were those of Sri pratapasila, 284 of Sri siladitya and one of harsha.


The largest number of coins we get are from the post -mauryan times .How ever ,the guptas issued  the largest number of gold coins.


The punch market coins ,made of silver are the earliest coins ( dating from the 5th century B.C) of india. These are found in Bihar and eastern U.P.


Kumargupta I ( 415-455 ) - Issued karthikeya type of coins with a peacock as the ' vahan '.


The greeks were the first rulers in india to issue coins which can be definitely attributed to the kings.They were also the first to issue gold coins in india.


Nalas  - ( living in the forest area of Mahakantara - Odisha ) issued gold coins.


Manas ( living in the coastal area in the north beyond the Mahanadi ) issued copper coins.