The correct option is Silver and Copper.
Explanation
The earliest coins in the Indian subcontinent are known as punch-marked coins. They emerged around the 6th century BCE, coinciding with the rise of the Mahajanapadas and the Second Urbanisation. They are termed "punch-marked" because symbols were stamped or punched onto metal pieces using separate dies.Detailed Analysis
- Composition: These coins were primarily minted in Silver and Copper. The silver coins, frequently referred to in literary sources as Karshapanas, Pana, or Purana, are the most abundant in archaeological findings.
- Manufacturing Technique: Unlike later coins which were die-struck or cast with inscriptions and portraits, these coins bore symbols such as the sun, crescent, six-armed wheel, trees, and animals punched onto irregular metal flans.
- Elimination of Other Options:
- Gold: Gold coins were not minted during the early Mahajanapada or Mauryan periods. The Indo-Greeks were the first to issue gold coins in India significantly later.
- Lead and Potin: These base metals were characteristically used for coinage by the Satavahana dynasty in the Deccan during the post-Mauryan period.
Key Takeaway: The earliest numismatic evidence in India, the punch-marked coins, dates back to the 6th century BCE and was composed of Silver and Copper.