The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c14.s1.8

c14.s1.8

The classification of these silver coins by the difference of the title used, as adopted by Smith, is not very scientific. Mr. Allan has classified them according to their fabric; coins of large size are differentiated, from those of the small one, coins of good workmanship from those of indifferent workmanship, and so on. This classification also is not very scientific; for it is difficult to state where exactly careful execution gives way to the careless one. Some of the coins of Class III, which are described by Mr. Allan as of small and thick fabric, are as large as those of Class I, which are described as of thin and large fabric.¹ As however it is not easy to suggest any better method of classification, we propose to follow Mr. Allan in the classification as suggested by him in his *Catalogue of the Coins of the Gupta Dynasties*.