RHYS DAVIDS: BUDDHIST INDIA

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APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VI

THE MOST ANCIENT COINS OF INDIA

Mr. Rapson, of the British Museum, has been kind enough to prepare the plates for Figs. 24 and 25, and to draw up the following key, giving explanations of each of the coins.

Fig. 24.

1. Æ; Taxila: Single-die Coin.
In incuse, 1., pile of balls; r., chaitya: beneath, wavy line and uncertain designs (? vine-branches).

2. AR; Punch-marked Coin, showing on both sides various countermarked symbols.

3. Æ; Taxila: Double-die Coin.
Obv. Elephant to r.; above, chaitya.
Rev. in incuse, Maneless Lion to 1.; above, svastika; in front, chaitya.

4. Æ; Vaṭasvaka.
Chaitya: 1., Vaṭasvaka in Brāhmī characters; r., standing figures worshipping ; beneath, pile of balls.

5. Æ; Kāḍa: Cast Coin.
Obv. and Rev. similar: Kāḍasa in Brāhmī characters; above, Snake.

6. Æ; Mathurā.
Upātikyā in Brāhmī characters; above, svastika.

7. Æ; Ujjen.
Obv. Humped Bull to r.; above, 'Ujjain' symbol.
Rev. Ujeni(ya) in Brāhmī characters; above, a Hand.

[322] 8. Æ; Uddehika.
Obv. Humped Bull to r.; above, Tree within railing represented horizontally.
Rev. Udehaki in Brāhmī characters; above, three symbols.
[J.R.A.S., 1900, p. 98, Pl. I.]

9. Æ; Tripuri.
In incuse, Tripuri in Brāhmī characters; beneath, two symbols.
[J.R.A.S., 1894, p. 554, Pl. 15.]

10. Æ; Kulūta, Vīrayasa.
Obv. Chaitya surmounted by three symbols; r, Ra; 1 , na, in Kharosthē characters.
Rev. Wheel surrounded by circle of dots; inscr. in Brāhmī characters. Rājña Kolūtasya Virayasasya.
[cf. Cunningham, Coins of Ancient India, p. 70, Pl. IV., 14, and J.R.A.S., 1900, pp. 415, 429.]

11. AR; Kuṇinda, Amoghabhūti.
Obv. Deer to r., facing female figure; above, symbol; below, chaitya. Inscription in Brāhmī characters. Raña Kuṇiṃdasa Amoghabhūtisa Mahārājasa.
Rev. Various symbols; Inscr. as on obv., but in Kharosthē characters.

12. Æ; Ayodhyā: Cast Coin.
Obv. Fish to 1.; above, svastika.
Rev. Steelyard ; above, crescent.

13. Æ; Ayodhyā, Sūryamitra.
Obv. Peacock to r., facing Palm-tree.
Rev. in incuse, Humped Bull to 1.; Suyyamitrasa in Brāhmī characters.

14. Æ; Kosambī, Bahasatimita.
Obv. Humped Bull to r., facing chaitya; above, 'Ujjen' symbol.
Rev. Tree within railing; on either side, symbols; Bahasatimitasa in Brāhmī characters.

Fig. 25.

1. Eran Coin. Dhanapālasa in very ancient Brāhmī letters written from right to left. Described in Cunningham's Coins of Ancient India, Pl. XI., No. 18. Now in the British Museum.

2. Eran Coin. Obv. Horse to 1.; above, Ujjen symbol. Rev. r.
and 1., Tree within railing. Eraka in Brāhmī letters. Now in Mr. L. White King's collection.

 

 

 


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Previous: Chapter XVI: Kanishka

[Preface]  [Table of Contents][1. The Kings]  [2. The Clans and Nations]  [3. The Village]  [4. Social Grades]  [5. In the Town]  [6. Economic Conditions]  [7. Writing — The Beginnings]  [8. Writing — It's Development]  [9. Language and Literature. I. General View]  [10. Literature. II. The Pāḷi Books]  [11. The Jataka Book]  [12. Religion — Animism]  [13. The Brahmin Position]  [14. Chandragupta]  [15. Asoka]  [16. Kanishka]  [Appendix]  [Index]

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