38 
HINTS TO COIN-COLLECTORS 
will show that all the marks they bear were not stamped 
upon them at one time, as one device is often seen to over- 
ride another ; and hence we may conclude that successive 
kings (or periods) stamped on the coins in general use a 
mark of their own sovereignty or time. The earliest emblem 
of all would seem to be the sun, in the form of a rayed 
circle, for this device appears upon every issue more or 
less distinct and is followed by a number of others, such as 
the " chaitya," the "ehakra" or wheel, the "caducens" or 
wizard's rod, the Buddhist tree, &c. Of these Sir "Walter 
Elliot, in his recent contribution to the " Numismata Orien- 
talia " has figured a considerable number of specimens, and 
many were also illustrated in the early numbers of this 
journal.'* From them we pass to the more recent f//e-made 
issues, of which specimens in copper are frequently met with 
in Southern India, especially in that most prolific coin 
centre, Madura. These are almost invariably rectangular 
and bear on one side an elephant with 
apparently Buddhist symbols, and on the 
reverse a oheequered pattern as shown in No. 2, beneath 
which is a wavy line. The native legend is that these coins 
were struck in Madura at a very early period, and that the 
line denotes the river, while the checquered pattern is sup- 
posed to represent a plan of the city. 
It is not, however, only in the ordinary coin metals (gold, 
silver and copper) that the collector will find issues bearing 
evidently Buddhist emblems. He will not be long on the 
hunt before he comes across circular (and rarely rectangular) 
coins in lead. These are found, for the most part in the 
Krishna and Grodavari districts, but occasionally in Mysore, 
and other parts of the south, and are usually attributed to 
the Andhi'as, a dynasty of considerable antiqvdty, mentioned 
by Pliny, ^ but whose story is -m-apt in prehistoric mys- 
< Madras Jovir. Lit. and Science, Vol. IV, No. 7 (1S58 J). 
* Pliny, lib. V, cap. XVII, " Validior demde gens Andane," iS:c. 
