In ancient India, the first coins to bear the names and images of the rulers were issued by the ______.

Indo-Greeks

The correct answer is Option (1) → Indo-Greeks

In reference to the ancient Indian history: Punch-marked coins made of silver and copper (c. sixth century BCE onwards) were amongst the earliest to be minted and used. These have been recovered from excavations at a number of sites throughout the subcontinent. Numismatists have studied these and other coins to reconstruct possible commercial networks. Attempts made to identify the symbols on punch- marked coins with specific ruling dynasties, including the Mauryas, suggest that these were issued by kings. It is also likely that merchants, bankers and townspeople issued some of these coins. The first coins to bear the names and images of rulers were issued by the Indo-Greeks, who established control over the north-western part of the subcontinent c. second century BCE. The kushanas, however, issued the largest hoards of gold coins first gold coins c. first century CE. These were virtually identical in weight to those issued by contemporary Roman emperors and the Parthian rulers of Iran, and have been found from several sites in north India and Central Asia.