The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c14.s1.t2.3

c14.s1.t2.3

(1) The face on the obverse is in most cases not an imitation of the Kshatrapa head; (cf. Pl. XVII. 1-17 with 22-28) Prominent nose and long moustaches disappear. The king's nose is flat and almost in a line with the forehead. The hair behind the head is, however, still shown as falling in the Kshatrapa fashion. It has been suggested that the Madhyadeśa coins seek to give a portrait of the emperor.² This may perhaps be true in the case of Kumāragupta I, but it has to be admitted that the features of Skandagupta on the Madhyadeśa silver currency are closely similar to those of Kumāragupta I (cf. Pl. XVIII. 19-22). Effort at portraiture, if attempted in the reign of Kumāragupta, was given up later, unless we assume that the features of Skandagupta closely resembled those of his father.