Gold Coins

[Harry Falk]

Patrick Olivelle schrieb:
>
> Friends:
>
> Sorry if this reaches you twice through Indology and ScholarlyServices.
>
> I have a question regarding the earliest issuance of gold coins in
> India.
Dear Patrick,
if the text is silent about the issuing agency, gold coins in
India could
date back to the times of Darius, i.e. about 500 BC. There are
very few
gold coins issued by the Graeco-Bactrian and Bactro-Indian kings,
i.e.
from about 300 to 0. There are still less from the so-called
Scythian
dynasties in the 1st cent. BC. A perfect collection of all
pre-Vima
Kadphises gold issues is found in
Osmund Bopearchchi, The Miho Museum Coin Collection. Treasures of
ancient
Bactria. Miho Museum 2002: 222-224 with the plates on pp. 70-73.
If truely Indian issues are meant, then Vima Kadphises and the
following
Kushan kings plus Gupta kings should be meant, i.e. a starting
date
from about 90 to 100 AD.
All the best,
Harry