2017-11-03 Fri

Taxila was one of the oldest cities of India and a wealthy commercial centre. It had a massive university where all the renowned teachers conducted lectures on arts and sciences. Taxila was one of the earliest issuers of coins in India. Taxila issued both inscribed and uninscribed. Apart from two gold types, all other types of local post-Mauryan coins of Taxila are made of copper. Majority of the inscribed coins are regarded as issues of the various trade guilds of Taxila. One of the eye-catching trade guild coins of Taxila has a Brahmi legend ‘Negama’.

The given square copper coin belongs to Taxila. It weighs around 6.8 grams. The obverse of the coin depicts a front-facing elephant, three arched hill with a crescent, hollow cross and palm tree in the railing. The reverse has a horse standing to left, three arched hill above with a crescent, six arched hill to left and Kharosthi legend ‘doyakadesa’ above. There are no sources to study this coin much in detail. What do you think about this coin? Check other inscribed and uninscribed coins of Taxila on our website.