Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c44.s5.t1.3

v2.c44.s5.t1.3

The compilation was made during the beginning of the Gupta era (fourth century AD) when the Kuṣāṇa and Kṣatrapa influences were still perceptible in the Western India. The text mentions joṇikā or javanikā, a Greek woman and several kinds of coins bearing foreign influences. Māṣaka, kārṣāpaṇa, nāṇaka were ancient traditional coins of India. Khattapaka was however the Kṣatrapa coin of Rudradāman (AD 150) also known as rudradāmaka. Sateraka was the Greek gold coin ‘stater’ weighing 133.2 grams. Dināra was the Gupta age gold coin, but the name was derived from the pre-Christian era Roman silver coin denarius. Nāṇaka was low denomination copper coin. The Kṣatrapas used lead also for such low-value coins.