Coinage of Early Andhradesa Post-Mauryan and Pre-Satavahana Period

Coinage of Early Andhradesa Post-Mauryan and Pre-Satavahana Period. Coins are discovered from time to time either in the course of archaeological excavations or as accidental finds during the digging operations of the earth. They play a vital role in throwing light on historical facts hitherto unknown from other sources and help in their reconstruction. They also substantiate the history known from the literary and archaeological sources. The beginnings of the historical past of a country or region are provided by the numismatic evidence. Thus, the study of the coinage, in detail, is of great significance in the reconstruction of remote beginnings of history. Till recently, most of the historians believed that the political history of Andhra had commenced with the Satavahanas. But the recent discoveries of inscribed coins at Kotalingala in stratigraphic context and other sites reveal that local chiefs ruled this area even before the Satavahanas. Those coins bear not only the names of rulers but also have striking similarities in metallic, fabric and symbolic aspects with the Satavahana coinage. historical importance.