The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c18.s7.2

c18.s7.2

It is well known that Śaśāṅka was an opponent of Buddhism. His coinage would show that he was a Śaiva, because Śiva invariably appears on the obverse of his coins on his mount Nandī. This side further shows the full round orb of the moon to the left of the king's face. The legend on the obverse was intended to be *Śrī-Śaśāṅko jayati*; but only the letters *Śrī-śaśa* have come on the flan. The first three letters are written vertically behind the haunch of the bull in the usual Gupta tradition; *ja* and *ya* are written below the bull.