200 Y. A. Smith — History and Coinage of the Gupta Period. [No. 4, 
edition of Prinsep’s Hssays. Cunningham ( Num . Chron. for 1894, p. 280) 
reads the legend on fig. 17 as Shuta. 
These coins, other than the Sassanian-head pieces, seem to me to 
present many difficulties. 
The coins with the Sassanian-head obverse, alluded to by Cun¬ 
ningham in the second quotation above, must certainly be assigned to 
the White Hun Toramana, the father of Mihirakula. 
They have been described and figured by Prinsep, whose note may 
be quoted in full. 1 “Figs. 15 and 16 of this Plate [xxxiii], and 6 of the 
ensuing one [xxxiv], are types of a distinct group of copper coins, plen¬ 
tiful in the Swiney and Stacy cabinets. The appendage to the shoulder 
decides the Sassanian origin, and the wheel on the reverse seems to be 
borrowed from the emblem above the fire-altar. I incline to think it 
the solar effigy, rather than the symbol of a Chalcravarttin, or ruler of 
universal dominion. It is probable that the common emblem is still 
preserved in the Ujjain and Indor coins on the present day. 
There is the appearance of a letter in front of the face, but it is 
ill-defined. 
On the opposite side, however, the two large letters under the 
wheel are, most distinctly, Tora, the meaning of which remains 
a mystery. They are not in the same alphabet as that of the preced¬ 
ing coins, but of the more ancient lat character, which accords, so far, 
with the comparative superiority of the engraving.” 
I am not fortunate enough to possess any of these coins. I annex 
a formal description of them, based on Prinsep’s and Cunningham’s 
plates and descriptions. 
Toeamana (White Hun.) 
Sassanian Bust Type.— M. 
Obv. Modified Sassanian Bust, facing right. An indistinct letter 
before face, read by Cunningham as Bu. Dotted 
circle. The king seems to wear a close-fitting skull-cap. 
Bev. In upper field a sun (wheel). In lower field ?Ttt Tora , 
in bold, splayed characters. Dotted circle. Diam., 
about‘75 inch. Weight of Cunningham’s specimen, 57 
grains. 
The collection of 60 coins from the Panjab already referred to 
1 Thomas ’ Prinsep, Vol. I, p. 416, PI. xxxiii, 15, 16, and PI. xxxiv, 6. The 
tail of the ^ r in these coins is turned up to the left, so that, according to Cun¬ 
ningham, they should be classed as issued by the later Toramana of Kagmlr. I do 
not believe in the validity of the test. 
