The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c16.s7.8

c16.s7.8

Coins of Vainyagupta, who had adopted the *biruda* of *Dvādaśāditya*, are only in gold and confined to the Archer type. The alloy in one of his coins, *B.M.C.* No. 589, was found to be 27%. Between the king's feet is the letter *bhā*. Bhānugupta, as shown above, was almost a contemporary of Vainyagupta. Can it be that he recognised his suzerainty and worked as his Mālwā viceroy and that Vainyagupta permitted the engraving of the initial of his viceroy on his issues? Vainyagupta's dominion however appears to have been confined to Southern Bengal, as suggested by the find-spots of his coins and copper-plate. Only further discoveries can solve the mystery of the interrelation between these two rulers.