Question

Who issued the first gold coin in India?
a. Kujula kadphises
b. Huvishka
c. Vima kadphises
d. Kanishka

Answer 1

Hint:
 Kushan or Kuei-Shang is one of the five great Yueh-Chi (tribe) kingdoms. In the 1st century CE, Kujula Kadphises (Kadphises I) gathered these five kingdoms and founded the Kushan Empire. The Kushan movement in India can be traced back to the 1st century CE in the time of Kadphises I.

Complete step by step solution:
Vima Kadphises was a Kushan emperor from about 90-100 CE. According to the Rabatak inscription, he was the son of Vima Takto and father of Kanishka. Emperor Vima Kadphises expanded the Kushan region in Afghanistan and northwest India, where he may have succeeded the Indo-Scythian ruler of Sodasa at Mathura.

Gold Coins:
He was Emperor Kushan, who introduced gold coins for the first time alongside existing copper and silver coins. Most of the gold appears to have been obtained through trade with the Roman Empire. The gold standard weighs about eight grams according to first century Roman coins. Gold bars from Rome would be melted in three denominations and are used to make candy in Kushan: the double stater, the stater, and the quarter starter (or dinara). The use of gold attests to the prosperity of the Kushan Empire since vima, the center of trade between the Han Dynasty in China, Central Asia and Alexandria and Antioch in the west.


Hence, the correct answer is option C.

Note:
Kushanas controlled most of the Silk Route, which led to the spread of Buddhism in China. Currently, Buddhism began to spread to Korea and Japan. Many towers, chaityas, cities and beautiful statues were built under the auspices of the Kushana kings.