The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c15.s1.t3.2

c15.s1.t3.2

The circular legend on the obverse is incomplete and does not give the name of the king. But the reverse *biruda* *Kramāditya*, shows that the issuer is most probably Skandagupta. There is ample empty space before the letter *kra* of *Kramāditya*; we cannot therefore argue that the reverse legend may have been *Vikramāditya* and therefore the issuer may have been Chandragupta II. Kumāragupta I cannot be the issuer of this type, because he never bore the title *Kramāditya*. On the other hend, we have seen above how Skandagupta uses the *biruda* *Kramāditya* on variety B of the coins of the Archer type. It is therefore most probable that this Chhatra type was issued by Skandagupta. We say most probably, because there is some evidence to show that Ghaṭotkacha, who was perhaps a brother of Skandagupta, also bore this same epithet. If we are correct in atttibuting to him the solitary Archer type coin in the Leningrad Museum, which bears the name *Ghaṭo* on the obverse, its reverse bears the *biruda* *Kramāditya*. Ghaṭotkacha, however, is not so far known to have contested the throne with his brother Skandagupta. If therefore he had ascended the throne and issued any coins, it must have been after the death of Skandagupta. His coins therefore are not likely to have been included in the Bayana hoard. It would be therefore safer to attribute this solitary coin to Skandagupta rather than to Ghaṭotkachagupta.¹