The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c11.s2.1

c11.s2.1

The coins of the Lion-slayer type are not quite rare, but owing to their high artistic merit, they are in great demand. In the Bayana hoard, out of 983 coins of Chandragupta II, 43 belonged to this type. The British Museum, the Ashmolean Museum, the Indian Museum and the Lucknow Museum possess 13,3,10 and 16 specimens respectively of this type. The size of the coins varies from .75" to 85". Vast majority of them are issued to the standard of 121 grains, but a few weigh 124 grains and fewer still 127 grains. One piece in the Bayana hoard weighs as high as 136.5 grains. The coins are known to have been found at Jaunpur, Kotwa, Mirzapur, Kanauj and Bayana.