168 V. A. Smith — Gold coins of the Qupta Dynasty. [Dec, 



[7.] Who helong to the dynasty (of the sun and the moon). 



p] ? 



[9] Having killed a Brahmin on the banks of the Ganges. 



[10.] Having killed a cow (on tlie banks of the Ganges). 



[11,12.] ? 



The Nandial-Cumbum cartroad is made through the Nandicanamah 

 pass and probably followed the identical path referred to in these inscrip- 

 tions. 



5. A Classified and Detailed Catalogue of the Gold coins of the Imperial 

 Gupta Dynasty of Northern India. With an Introductory Essay. — By 

 Vincent A. Smith, B. A., (Dubl.), B. C. S. (with 4 Plates and a Table 

 of weights) . 



(Abstract ) 

 This communication consists of two parts, an Introductory Essay, and 

 a Detailed Catalogue. 



The Introductory Essay is divided into seven sections, and discusses 

 generally the gold coinage of the imperial Gupta dynasty, which terminated 

 with Skanda Gupta. The imitative barbarous issues are noticed as briefly 

 as possible. The coins are divided, with reference to characteristic obverse 

 devices, into 18 types. The reverse devices are grouped under nine heads, 

 and an attempt is made to investigate the origin and meaning both of 

 obverse and reverse devices. On some points the writer ventures to differ 

 from the opinions commonly held. The. relation of the so-called mono- 

 grams to the similar marks on the Indo-Scythian coins is examined. It is 

 shown that the Indo-Scythian and Gupta ' monograms ' are probably neither 

 the marks of mint cities, nor of functionaries, and that the Gupta mono- 

 grams are not mere imitations of the Indo-Scythian ones ; and the hypo- 

 thesis is proposed that all the monograms on both series of coins should be 

 regarded as religious symbols of meaning at present unknown. 



The subject of weights is treated in detail, and discussed at length, 

 the weighments of 165 coins being tabulated and analysed. The general 

 result is that the undisputed coins of the imperial Guptas appear to have 

 been coined according to three standards of weight, viz., 



Ghatot Kacha, Chandra Gupta I, Samudra Gupta, and Chandra Gupta 



II (except wheel variety of Archer type) about 125 grs. 



Kumara Gupta Mahendra , . , „ 130 „ 



Skanda Gupta, and wheel variety of Chandra Gupta II „ 134; „ 

 The coins of barbarous type, such as those of Nara Gupta, were struck 

 on a different standard, which appears to have been about 146 grains. 

 These last coins are regarded as revivals of the ancient suvarna, the weight 

 of the rati being assumed as 1-825 grain. 



All available information respecting the find-spots or provenance of the 



