162 HINTS TO COIX-COLLECTOES 
found in Europe. These specimens were scattered over 
several parcels that I examined, and were not aU together in 
one or two, as is usually the case when a number of issues 
have been dug up together. Nor was this by any means a 
solitary instance, for I have rarely paid a coin hunting visit 
to these parts without meeting with more or less specimens, 
and other collectors tell me that their experience has been the 
same. Moreover, they are not the kind of money that one 
would expect the rich Roman merchant to bring in payment 
for the luxuries of the East, but small insignificant copper 
coins, scarce the size of a quarter of a farthing and closely 
resembling the early issues of the native mints. Then, again, 
though as I have said, large hordes of aurei ^ have from time 
to time been discovered, and solitary specimens of course ever 
and anon occur, I have never yet heard of the discovery 
in Southern India of any of those fine copper coins (kno-^Ti 
as 1st and 2nd brass) so plentifully found among the Roman 
remains exhumed in various parts of Europe, and of all the 
specimens I have myself met with not one has borne the 
faintest resemblance to them. Nor is this all. While aurei 
have been discovered in various parts, and on one occasion a 
large number of the denarii of Tiberius and Augustus to- 
gether, the stamp of coin 1 now refer to occurs, as far as I can 
learn, in and around Madui'a alone, and this surely points to 
the probability of the existence at one time of a Roman settle- 
ment at or near that place. And after all, what more natural 
than that, as trade increased and Eastern luxuries became 
more and more popular with the fair dames of Rome, small 
settlements of agents shoidd be established to collect on the 
spot the produce of the country, and convey it to the ships 
of their employers on their periodical visits to the ports 
2 In 185 1 a find of these coins was made near Canuanore on the ^Malalxir 
coast, a description of which appeai-ed in the J.A.S.B of that year. It is 
said that no Ifiss than five cooly loads were discovert d on that occasion, 
some few of which are I believe, still in the possession H. 11. the ilaJiax-.tjiih 
of Tra\ ancore. 
