1895.] A. F. R. Hoernle —Copper coins of Abdagases and Kadphises II. 83 
that they are really the remnants of that combination of letters. If 
this be so, this coin is one of the ordinary kind. 
The Greek legend on the obverse of both coins is almost wholly 
obliterated. On the new coin, a trace of M€rACO (i.e., pey as oorjpo ) 
is just recognisable near the right foot of the figure of Kadphises, in 
its usual place. 
The two Abdagases coins are of very peculiar interest, inasmuch 
as they present the only instance, hitherto discovered, of Bactrian script 
running from the left to the right. Hitherto, as is well-known, that 
script has invariably been found running from the right to the left. 
The two coins were found among a lot of Bactrian copper coins, 
procured by Mr. J. A. Bourdillon, C.S., from the Gaya bazar, in De¬ 
cember last. The lot consisted mostly of coins of Soter Megas, Kadphises 
I. (Kujula- type), and Gondophares, with a few of Abdagases of the usual 
well-known types, and in the usual, much abraded condition. I picked 
out the best preserved specimens (purchased for 2 annas each), for Mr. 
Bourdillon’s and my own collection, and the rest were returned to the 
bazar. On closer examination I discovered, among the Abdagases coins, 
two specimens which greatly differed in two points from the usual type 
of his coins. In the first place, I noticed, to my great surprise, that a 
portion of the Bactrian legend runs from the left to the right. In the 
second place, it appeared that the whole legend was (as usual on most 
Bactrian coins, copper as well as silver) arranged in two sections. On 
the ordinary copper coins of Abdagases, as well as of Gondophares, and 
other late kings, the legend runs continuously all round the margin, 
and is to be read from the inside of the coin. This, however, is not 
the usual arrangement on Bactrian coins. As a rule it is not written 
continuously, but in two sections. The smaller section of the Bactrian 
legend (on the reverses), giving the name, commences on the lower 
right of the margin, and runs, along the bottom of the coin, from 
right to left, to the lower left of the margin; and must be read from the 
outside of the coin. The larger section commences on the lower right 
of the margin, and runs up all round the top of the coin, down to the 
lower left; and must be read from the inside of the coin. Both sections, 
therefore, commence on the lower right of the margin, and read from 
the right to the left, in diverging lines. The same arrangement holds 
good for the Greek legends (on the obverses); only in this case, as 
Greek is read from the left to the right, the starting point of the two 
sections is the lower left of the margin. Now on our new Abdagases 
coins, there is a curious mixture of the Greek and Bactrian arrange¬ 
ments. The legend is written in two sections ; the smaller section, 
giving the name, Abdagagasa, begins on the lower right, and runs across 
