Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c40.s3.t1.11

v2.c40.s3.t1.11

We have mentioned Pāṇini’s explanation as to how the word raupya for silver originated: on a silver coin the rūpa or form of the king was embossed. “The mode of manufacturing the punch-marked silver coins was first to get ready a hammered sheet, which was then cut into strips, and sub-divided into lengths of approximately the desired weight, which was adjusted by clipping the corners when necessary”. After this, the metallic pieces were subjected to the process of stamping symbols on them by means of a separate punch for each symbol. It is this particular stage in the process of manufacture to which Pāṇini refers in the famous sūtra: