The first coins to bear the names and images of rulers were issued by the ____________.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Indo-Greeks
The earliest Indian coins were punch-marked coins of silver and copper (c. sixth century BCE onwards), which carried symbols but no names. The first coins to bear the names and images of rulers were issued by the Indo-Greeks, who controlled the north-western part of the subcontinent from c. second century BCE. The Kushanas came later and issued the largest hoards of gold coins.
Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| 25-05 S1 | – | – | 22-06 S3* | – |
* A similar question.
NCERT (2025-26): “6.4 Coins and kings … To some extent, exchanges were facilitated by the introduction of coinage. 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 punchmarked 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.…” |