A predictive coding in a video coding system, which can enhance the coding efficiency by predictively coding DC coefficients of a block to be coded using DC gradients of a plurality of previously coded neighboring blocks. The predictive coefficient is selected according to the difference between the quantized DC gradients (coefficients) of a plurality of neighboring blocks of the block to be coded, and the DC coefficient of the block to be coded is predictively coded by the selected predictive coefficient, thereby enhancing the coding efficiency.