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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1894 Excerpt: ...specimens would seem to indicate that the absence of a device may in certain cases at least, be due to the coins being large and heavy, and that the device being raised in thin lines on a flat surface, had been worn off, while the coin was in use. Some of the larger horse coins have the reverse plain, apparently for the same reason. Three of the Simha coins, for instance (Noa. 46, 47, and 50), yet retain traces of the Ujjain symbol. Another of these coins (No. 45) shows a sunk device, evidently struck with a punch. The superstruck coins must go to prove that the dies were struck on cold metal; for, ha.l the coins been heated, the original device would have been destroyed. Yet these coins retain both the original and secondary devices. A consideration of what can be learned from an examination of this class of coin would peom to show that the process of minting, had followed one of two possible methods. It may have been to pour a given quantity of molten metal on to a plate engraved with an impression of the reverse and then press the metal into shape whith the obverse die, or, as seems more probable, to place a lump of cold metal of fixed weight and globular form, between a broad die plate containing an engraving of the reverse symbol, and a punch, of the intended diameter of the coin only, engraved with the obverse device, and strike on the latter till the approximate shape and thickness were attained. A few of the facts, which go to prove this, may be noted. When the obverse die has been struck to one side, a lumpy irregular rim caused by the bulging out of the metal over the edge of the die, appears on the other (see Nos. 40, 47, 57, &c.). On the reverse, no such rim ever appears, and however small the device may be with reference to the coin or, how...

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