The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c16.s3.17

c16.s3.17

Narasimhagupta Bālāditya ruled as an emperor from *c.* 470 to 472 A.D. He has to be differentiated from his homonym, who has been credited with the expulsion of Mihirakula by Yuan Chwang in *c.* 530 A. D. Though he had a short reign and lived in troubled times, his coinge is not scanty; we have so far found about 50 pieces issued by him.¹ Most of these coins were found in the Kālighāṭ hoard, though one was found in Nadea district of Bengal. The trouble through which the empire was passing during the reign of this emperor is reflected by the alloy of 54% in most of his coins. Obviously the treasury was depleted owing to the internecine struggle. A few coins of his, however, have only 21% alloy. All his gold coins are issued to the *suvarṇa* standard of 144 grains, and some are even four or five grains heavier. Their size varies from .8" to .95".