Indian Antiquary Vol 33

SR No.: 032525
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 514
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 221

SEPTEMBER, 1904.]
A HOARD OF BACTRIAN COINS.
217
THE MOST SOUTHERN HOARD OF BACTRIAN COINS IN INDIA.
BY VINCENT A. SMITH, M.A., L.C.S. (RETD.). A LTHOUGH it is rather late in the day to describe a discovery made more than twenty-five A years ago, yet, inasmuch a8 no detailed account of it has ever been published, a description of the contents of a small hoard of Badtrian coins unearthed in Bundelkhand in 1877, and brought to notice by the local officials in 1878, may still be of interest.
A Chamar labourer, while digging for dhák roots in a gram-field belonging to Rämratan Singh, nephew of the lambardar, or head man, of the village of Pachkhurs Buxurg in Pargana Sumērpur of the Hamirpur District, to the sonth of the Jamnă, disclosed a pot full of silver coins at a short depth below the surface. The vessel was probably an earthen pitcher, but, according to some accounts, it was of brass. The coins recovered in 1878, through the agency of the police, were as follows :
Eukrstides. Circular, hemidraclima, bilingual -
Obv.-Bust of king, helmeted, to r. BAZIAEOX METAAOY EYKPATIAOY. Rev. - The Dioskouroi, standing to tront with lances. Kbaroshthi legend, which I read
at the time as rajasa unaharajasa Eukratidasa, but is given by Von Sallet
(Nachfolger, p. 99 ) as maharajasa mahatakasa evulratidasa. Three specimens only were found, of which two had an incomplete border line outside the legend on obv., and mon. The third had no border line, and a different mon. (Gardner, B. M. Catal. Supplement, p. 165, pl. xxx., 9). Prof. Gardner notes that won a coin of this class in Gen. Court's collection, the inscription begins rajasa (Von Sallet in Zeit. f. Num. 10, p. 157)." I presume, therefore, that I read the legend correctly. I did not obtain a specimen of this rare type.
Apollodotos sötēr. I. Hemid rachme, circular. 4 specimens
Obv. -Elephant to r. BAZIAEOZ AITOMOAOTOY SOTHPOZ. Rev. - Indian bull to r. Kharöshthi legend, Maharajasa Apaladatasa tratarasa.
(Gardner, p. 34, pl. ix., 8.) II. - Hemidrachma, square. 29} specimens. Devices and legends as on the circular coins,
Five specimens had no mon.; the others had various mon.; as in Gardner, p. 34, pl. ix., 9. I obtained a specimen of the circular variety, which is now in the cabinet of the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
Menander. 1.- Hemidrachma, circular - Var. 1. Obv. - Bust of king, helmeted, to r. 5 specimens. BAZIAEOZ zarupo
MENANAPOY. Rev. - Pallas, standing I., with agis in r., and thunderbolt in 1. hand uplifted.
Kharoshthi legend, Maharajasa tratarasa Minadrasa. Mon., as in
Gardner, No. 10, p. 44. Var. 2.- As above, but king bare-headed. 14 specimens. I obtained an example. Var. 8. - As var. 2, but king to r. 12 specimens.