The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c11.s9.10

c11.s9.10

Silver coins of Chandragupta II are divided into two classes. In class I, the legend ends with *Vikramāditya* and mentions the religious persuasion and not the family name of the issuer—*Paramabhāgavata-mahārājādhirāja-śrī-Chandragupta-Vikramāditya* (Pl. XXV. 5). ‘Chandragupta Vikramāditya, king of kings, and a devotee of Vishnu.’ This legend is closely similar to that on the Horseman type of the emperor, where only the last word of the above legend is omitted. In class II, the legend ends with *Vikramāṅka* and gives the family name and not the religious persuasion of the issuer—*Śrī-Guptakulasya mahārājādhirāja-śrī-Chandragupta-Vikramāṅkasya* (Pl. XXV. 6). ‘The coin of Chandragupta Vikramāṅka, king of kings, of the Gupta family.’ Which of the two classes is earlier cannot be determined; both may have been contemporary issues as well, one being probably from a mint in Gujarāt and the other from another in Kathiāwār. Coins of both the classes are rare, those of class II being extremely scarce.