Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c28.s7.t4: Die-Struck on Both Sides
Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c28.s7.t4
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Die-Struck on Both Sides
v1.c28.s7.t4.1
During the beginning of the third century BC, the metal-smiths of Taxila, who had developed the die-striking technique indigenously, were convinced of the superiority of the circulating Greek coins, die-struck on both sides, and switched over to the new technology. This technology spread to the other parts of the sub-continent. The early gold coins of the Imperial Guptas, who issued fine die-struck pieces, were made following the earlier Kuṣāṇa tradition. (Mukherjee, 1988: 68)
v1.c28.s7.t4.2
The coins of the Indo-Greeks, Scytho-Pārthians, Kuṣāṇas and the Imperial Guptas were struck from two separate dies used probably simultaneously. Around the Gupta period the metals used for coinage were: gold, silver, copper, lead, billon (alloy of silver with copper or tin), brass and potin (an alloy of copper, lead, zinc and tin which was used for making icons also).
v1.c28.s7.t4.3
The molten metal or alloy was first poured into circular shaped moulds of regulated sizes to produce blanks of specific weights. Negative impressions of the obverse reverse types (and inscriptions) were probably engraved on two separate dies made of stone or soft steel or bronze. Each metal blank was heated or slightly softened by annealing and put in between the anvil die and the punch die, properly aligned and then hammered.
v1.c28.s7.t4.4
No die-striking assembly has been discovered so far from any of the ancient sites. Several coins, scrutinised under microscope, show homogeneity or near-homogeneity in size of the grains of their metal. This indicates that either the blank or the die-struck coin might have been heat-treated to promote a good amount of recrystallisation and homogenization of grain-sizes. (Mukherjee, 1988: 21)