Question

Which rulers issued the largest hoards of gold coins in the c.first-century CE?

• A. Mauryas
• B. Guptas
• C. Shakas
• D. Kushanas

Hint:

Timeline check:
First to issue coins with portraits: Indo-Greeks.
First to issue gold coins in substantial hoards (c. 1st century CE): Kushanas.
Most spectacular artistic gold coins (c. 4th--6th century CE): Guptas.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Concept:
Numismatics provides critical insights into the economic history, political expansion, trade networks, and royal ideology of ancient empires.
The introduction and proliferation of gold currency in ancient India was intrinsically linked to overland and maritime trade networks connecting India with Central Asia and the Roman Empire.

Step 1: Analyzing the Introduction of Gold Coinage:
The Indo-Greeks were the first to issue coins bearing the names and portraits of rulers.
However, the Kushana rulers were the first dynasty to issue the largest hoards of gold coins in the first century CE (under kings like Vima Kadphises and Kanishka).
These gold coins were remarkable for their high metallurgical purity and standardized weight.
They were virtually identical in weight to the coins issued by contemporary Roman emperors and Parthian rulers of Iran.
Kushana gold coins have been discovered in large hoards across north India, Central Asia, and Pakistan, indicating significant commercial transactions and long-distance trade.

Step 2: Evaluating the Other Dynasties:
The Mauryas (4th--2nd century BCE) predominantly issued punch-marked silver and copper coins, not standardized gold coins.
The Guptas (4th--6th century CE) issued spectacular gold coins celebrated for artistic iconography (dinars), but they flourished starting in the fourth century CE, not the first century CE.
The Shakas (Western Kshatrapas) were noted for their dated silver coinage rather than extensive gold hoards.
Final Answer:
Therefore, the Kushanas issued the largest hoards of gold coins in the c. first-century CE.