The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c14.s2.6

c14.s2.6

The usual practice prevalent in ancient India was to have different types and devices for the gold, silver and copper currencies. The Guptas usually followed this convention and it is very unlikely that they would have departed form it in the reigns of Kumāragupta I and Skandagupta. It would have been particularly unwise and inadvisable for them to issue copper coins exactly resembling the silver type. Owing to financial stringency they had started issuing silver-plated copper coins intended to pass for silver. Had they simultaneously started issuing copper currency also of the same type, there was the danger of their financial fraud being suspected and detected by the public.