Which one of the following statements with reference to the ancient Indian coins is not correct? (a) The Indo-Greeks issued the first coins bearing the name and images of rulers. (b) The Kushanas issued the first gold coins. (c) The Kushana gold coins were different in weight from the coins issued by contemporary Roman emperors. (d) These Kushana gold coins have been found from several sites in north India and central Asia.

Statement (c) is incorrect because Kushana gold coins were actually modeled on the weight standard of contemporary Roman coins. Historical evidence confirms that the Kushana emperor Vima Kadphises introduced extensive gold coinage in India, inspired by Roman aurei that entered the region through trade [1]. These Kushana gold pieces followed the standard weight of the Roman aurei to facilitate international commerce along the Silk Road [2]. Regarding the other options: the Indo-Greeks were indeed the first to issue coins with ruler names and portraits [3]. While some Indo-Greek rulers issued rare gold staters, the Kushanas are credited with the first large-scale, institutionalized gold coinage in India [1]. Finally, Kushana coins have been extensively recovered from sites across North India and Central Asia, reflecting the vast extent of their empire [4].

Sources

1. [1] https://igntu.ac.in/eContent/MA-AIHC-04Sem-DrJitendraJain-%20Ancient%20Indian%20Coinage-Unit1-4.pdf
2. [2] https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/25189072.pdf
3. [3] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 6: The Age of Reorganisation > Invasions of the Indo-Greeks > p. 135
4. [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushan_coinage