Lectures on Ancient Indian Numismatics (Carmichael Lectures, 1921) c9.20.4

c9.20.4

A similar thing must have happened in the pre-historic or proto-historic period of India : that is to say, while the system of barter was being replaced by metallic currency, in some parts of India the metal unit must have been shaped like the article of barter, and in some parts the former merely contained the imprint of the latter. There could thus be some coins which were *rūpas*, and some, *rūpyas*. Unless some such explanation is adduced, it is impossible to understand how both the words *rūpa* and *rūpya* in the sense of ‘coined money’ were current side by side.