148 V. A. Smitli —Gold Goins of the Imperial Gupta Dynasty. [No. 2, 
8ectio7i V. 
Find-spots. 
The information concerning the localities in which the Gnpta gold 
coins have been exhumed or otherwise obtained is not so copious as could 
be desired, and most coin collectors seem to take little interest in as¬ 
certaining either the spot where their specimens were found, or the 
details of the contents of each trove. Yet these points eminently deserve 
attention. Greek coins usually indicate on their face the locality of the 
mint where they were struck, but the Gupta and other Indian coins 
ordinarily have no indication of the sort, and, in the absence of trust¬ 
worthy written history, the records of the find-spots of coins are almost 
our only clue to the position of the ancient Hindu mints. 
The Guptas, and other dynasties of proe-Muhammadan India, which 
modern archaeological research has rescued from the utter oblivion of 
centuries, are still for the most part the merest shadows, endowed with 
names certainly, but without any definite local habitation, and often as 
unfixed in time as in place. 
The fabric, weight, style, devices, and legends of coins help us to fix 
the chronological position of these dynasties, whose names dance before 
the eyes of the student in a most perplexing maze. The recorded find- 
spots of coins, and detailed account of the contents of individual troves 
should be studied with care equal to that bestowed on the more attractive 
parts of numismatic science in order to throw light on the position of the 
old mint-cities, and on the local limits of the dominion of these long- 
forgotten sovereigns. Full details of the contents of hoards of coins 
when skilfully used, can be forced to yield to the historian many valu¬ 
able hints. 
These few observations will, I trust, be deemed sufficient justification 
for the elaboration with which I have worked out this part of my subject, 
so far as the meagre materials available would permit. I hope that 
collectors will be good enough to impart to the Society additional facts 
to complete the imperfect information at my command, and to correct any 
erroneous inferences which may be based upon insufficient premises. 
Professor Wilson, with his usual caution, declined to commit him¬ 
self to any definite opinion as to the seat of the domicion of the Gupta 
kings, or the position of their mint-cities, and contented himself with the 
remark that “ all that can be affirmed of them {soil. Gupta gold coins) 
with any degree of certainty is that they are coins of the west and north¬ 
western provinces of Hindustan.” He also pointed out that these coins 
are not found in the Panjab or Afghanistan.* 
* Ariana Ant. p. 417. 
