The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c11.s10.4

c11.s10.4

The copper coinage of Chandragupta is fairly original; it imitates neither the Kushāṇa issues nor the cast copper types that were earlier current in the Gangetic plain, nor any of the motifs current on the Kauśāmbī or Ayodhyā coinage. Its usual reverse, Garuḍa above and the legend below, is original. The obverse of the Chhatra and the Archer types are obvious imitations of the same types in gold. The bust type obverse may perhaps have been suggested by the usual type of Huvishka in gold. The Chakra type is original and may perhaps refer to the Vaiṣṇava persuasion of the issuer.