[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957) › c4 # The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c4: Preface The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c4 - **Language:** English ### Preface ### [c4.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.1) The Numismatic Society of India has great pleasure in offering to the world of scholars this Corpus on the Coinage of the Gupta Empire. ### [c4.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.2) The need for a series of Corpuses of Indian Coins, covering their history from the earliest times to the present day, has been keenly felt for some years. There is a dearth of books for study and reference in the field of Indian Numismatics at present. The Catalogues of Indian Coins in the British Museum, London, of the Coins in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, the Punjab Museum, Lahore, the Provincial (now State) Museum, Lucknow, and Cunningham's Monographs on the Coins of Ancient India, Medieval India, the Indo-Scythians, and the Later Indo-Scythians are out of print for a long time. Journals of the Royal Asiatic Society, Asiatic Society of Bengal, Numismatic Chronicle, Numismatic Supplements, etc. where some other studies on Indian Coins had been published, are not easily procurable. Further, though the above publications are good, they have become out of date long ago owing to the publication of fresh and important material during the last fifty years or so. Time has now come, not for the publication of revised editions of the above works and studies, but of the Corpuses of Coins of the different periods and dynasties, which will take a stock of the published works, utilise all the material in the different Museums in India and abroad, take note of the later discoveries of important coins and sum up our knowledge of the subject, correcting views no longer tenable and emphasining new and important aspects, disclosed by fresh discoveries and studies. These Corpuses should of course illustrate every variety of every type issued by a king, a feudatory or a republic. The lover of art should find these volumes attractive and should feel it an artistic feast to run over their plates. With these volumes on his table, the research worker should not normally feel the need of consulting many other works. ### [c4.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.3) The proposed series is tentatively divided into the following ten volumes; it is possible that the number may increase to 11 or 12 in the light of actual experience. Each Volume will normally consist of 400 to 500 pages and will be illustrated by 25 to 35 plates. ### [c4.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.4) Vol. I : Early indigenous coinage of India—Cast coins, Punch-marked coins; City and Guild coins; Coins of the Republics and various early Dynasties of Northern India. ### [c4.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.5) Vol. II : Coinage of the Indo-Greeks. ### [c4.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.6) Vol. III : Coinage of the Indo-Scythians, Indo-Parthians, Western Kshatrapas, Kushāṇas, Later Kushāṇas and other contemporary foreign Dynasties. ### [c4.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.7) Vol. IV : Coinage of the Gupta Empire (including its imitations). ### [c4.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.8) Vol. V : Coinage of the Deccan, South India and Ceylon; the Andhra, the Abhīra, the Bodhi, the Early Chālukya, the Rāṣṭrakūṭa, the Eastern Chālukya, the Later Chālukya, the Hoysala, the Kadamba, the Pallava and the Vijayanagara dynasties, and early coinage of Ceylon. ### [c4.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.9) Vol. VI : Post-Gupta Coinage of Northern India—the Hūṇas, the Pālas, the Chedis, the Chandellas, the Paramāras the Chaulukyas, the Tomaras, the Chāhamānas, the Shāhis, and Kashmir rulers. ### [c4.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.10) Vol. VII Coinage of the Sultans of Delhi. ### [c4.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.11) Vol. VIII Coinage of the Mugal Empire. ### [c4.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.12) Vol. IX Coinage of the Local and Provincial Muslim Dynasties and contemporary Hindu States, 1206 to c. 1837. ### [c4.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.13) Vol. X The Modern Coinage : the Coinage of the Western Powers in India, the Portugese, the Dutch, the French, the English, etc.; the Coinage of the Contemporary Indian States, the Coinage of the Indian Republic. ### [c4.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.14) The publication of such a comprehensive and ambitious scheme presupposes the utilisation of all the available talent and the Society feels confident that it will receive cooperation from scholars, both in India and abroad. ### [c4.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.15) From the financial point of view the project will be a costly one. The Society has built up a small publication fund, but it will be hardly sufficient for this scheme if it is to be executed within a reasonably short time. It hopes to receive substantial assistance for this project both from the public and the governments. ### [c4.16](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.16) We are first publishing the fourth Volume of the series on the Coinage of the Gupta Empire and this will naturally require some explanation. Our aim is to give, as far as possible, priority in publication to such volumes as are very urgently needed. Though the present volume is being published in 1957, its press copy was ready in 1946 and at that time Allan's Catalogue of Ancient Indian Coins in British Museum and Whitehead's Catalogue of Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian and Kushāna Coins in the Punjab Museum were available for study. The Catalogue of the Coins of the Gupta Dynasties in British Museum by Allan was on the other hand long out of print in 1946 and as the need of the Corpus on Gupta coins was then keenly felt, it was decided to give the first priority to the present volume, though it was the fourth in the series. ### [c4.17](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.17) As we were thinking of sending the typescript of the work to the press in 1946, the discovery of the Bayana Hoard of Gupta Gold Coins was announced. I was myself entrusted with the classification of this hoard, and I at once realised that if its contents were not utilised, the proposed Corpus of Gupta Coins would be sadly defective. But as Col. H. H. Sri Brajendra Sawai Maharaja Brajendra Singh Ji of Bharatpur had planned the publication of the Catalogue of the Hoard, its contents could not be utilised before its publication. As I was myself entrusted with the publication of the Catalogue, I could utilise the interval for bringing the press copy of the present Corpus quite uptodate in the light of the new types and varieties, discovered in this hoard. ### [c4.18](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.18) Owing to various difficulties, the Catalogue of the Gupta Gold Coins in the Bayana Hoard could not be published before the end of 1954. The present work went to the press in 1953, but partly owing to the difficulties of the press and partly owing to my engagements in America in 1954 and in Germany in 1957 the work of printing lingered on for an abnormally long time and the Corpus could be published only towards the end of 1957. In the meanwhile, the Rāṣṭrabhāṣā Pariṣad of the Bihar Government, which was keen to publish this book first in Hindi, brought out its Hindi edition in 1954. The Hindi work however does not include the two appendices which deal with the Imitations of Gupta Coinage and Addenda and Corrigenda These were later decided to be added to the present work. ### [c4.19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.19) We have already explained above the scope and nature of the proposed Corpus Volumes; the present one tries to satisfy that standard. Political history of the dynasty has been but briefly dealt with in the opening chapter, as we have now several authoritative books available on the subject. The second chapter gives a general survey of the Gupta Coinage, discussing also its originality and artistic merit. Chapters III to X describe the coinage of the great Gupta emperors from Chandragupta I to Skandagupta. Chap. XI deals with the coins of the successors of Skandagupta. Silver, Copper and Gold-coated coins of the different rulers are discussed in appropriate places. Symbols, metrology, palaeography and hoards are dealt with in Chap. XII. ### [c4.20](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.20) A number of the rulers of the 6th and 7th centuries imitated the Gupta types and motifs, though most probably they were not scions of the Gupta dynasty. It was felt that it would be conveneint to discuss their coinage in this volume and it has been done in Appendix I, which deals with the coins of Bhīmarāja, Harigupta, Harikānta (?), Jayagupta, Virasena, Samāchāradeva, Śaśāṅka, Jayanāga and ancient imitations of Gupta gold coins. The Appendix II discusses new types that had come to light during the long period during the book was in the press. It also corrects some inaccurate or wrong statements in the book. ### [c4.21](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.21) At the outset, when necessary, there is a geneal discussion of the problems connected with each type; then the type is described and its varieties enumerated. A fairly large number of coins has been selected for illustration. Every variety has been of course illustrated, but very often several coins of each type, class or variety are included in the Plate, when it was necessary to do so in order to bring out the complete legend or show some points of special importance. Thus in the case of the King and the Queen type of Chandragupta I, six coins have been selected for illustration; in the first one (Pl. 1.8) the back of the throne is invisible; in the second one (Pl. 1.9) it is visible; in the third one (Pl. I. 10) the crescent appears between the King and the Queen; in the fourth one, (Pl. 1,11) the object presented is very clear; in the fifth one (Pl. 1.12) the fabric is very crude and in the sixth one (Pl. 1.13) there is a beautiful cluster of dots between the feet of the royal couple. ### [c4.22](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.22) We desire that our Corpuses should be as much self-contained as possible and the necessity of consulting earlier books should be minimised. With this object in view, we have illustrated a few Indo-Bactrian and Kushāṇa coins in Pl. I, which are often referred to while discussing the question of the attribution of the Chandragupta-Kumāradevī type. Coins of Rudrasena III have also been illustrated in Pl. XVI, 1-2, in order to show the similarity of the silver coins of Chandragupta II with them. Some coins have also been illustrated in the enlarged size in order to facilitate their study; see Pls. IX. 9; XVII. 7. ### [c4.23](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.23) The work discusses a number of complicated and controversial points and perhaps throws new light upon some of them. Attention may be drawn to the controversy connected with the coinage of Chandragupta I, (pp. 28-32), the discussion of the Aśvamedha type of Samudragupta (pp. 61-66), the problem of the identity of Kācha (pp. 78-87), the Chakravikrama (pp. 145-150) and the King and Queen on the Couch type of Chandragupta II (pp. 138-140, 345-8), various new types of Kumāragupta I (Chap. VIII), Garuḍa with outstretched Wings type of Mahendrāditya (pp. 213-5), Trident type and silver-coated coins of the same ruler (pp. 226-8; 233-8), the interpretation of Apratigha (p. 358) etc. in this connection. In the treatment of symbols and metrology (pp. 287-301) it is hoped that much new material will be found. ### [c4.24](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.24) I have tried my best to balance the conflicting claims of brevity and comprehensiveness in this work; it is for others to judge whether I have succeeded in this task. ### [c4.25](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.25) It now remains to perform the pleasant duty of recording my thanks to a number of Institutions, scholars and friends. The authorities of the British Museum permitted me to use the photographs of the coins published in Allan's Catalogue of the Coins of the Gupta Dynasties; the Archaeological Department supplied to me the photographs of the coins in the Bayana hoard and H. H. the Maharaja of Bharatpur graciously allowed me to use them for the present work. Mr. A. D. H. Bivar supplied to me at short notice the photograph of the coin No. 680 of the Bodleian Collection. Mr. M. M. Nagar, the Director of the State Museum, Lucknow, sent to me a number of photographs for being used. The same was done by Mr. J. Das of Allahabad. I am indebted to all these institutions and persons for the help they have rendered in this work. ### [c4.26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.26) Sri. P. L. Gupta helped me in several ways in the preparation and printing of this work. He saw the proofs during my absence in America in 1954. ### [c4.27](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.27) The Numismatic society is indebted to Sir Ratan Tata Trust for a donation of Rs. 1,000, to N. M. Wadia Trust for a donation of Rs. 1500, to the U. P. Government for a donation of Rs. 1,500 given for the purpose of helping the Corpus scheme. The Union Government has also promised under certain conditions a donation of half the expenditure on the present volume, but subject to a maximum of Rs. 5,000. The Society desires to express its indebtedness to the above trusts and governments for their help. ### [c4.28](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.28) If adequate funds become available, the Society hopes to publish the next volume, which is ready for press, within two years. It will be on the Coinage of the Indo-Greeks. ### [c4.29](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.29) Patna. ### [c4.30](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.30) A. S. Altekar It is a pleasure to acknowledge the help that I have received in this work. ### [c4.31](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.31) Dr. P. S. Gupta helped me in every way in the preparation and revision of this work. He gave me valuable advice and constant encouragement. ### [c4.32](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.32) The Foundation for the Study of the Indian Tradition gave me a donation of Rs. 2,000 to do the work from the donation of the 1970 to the U. G. C. Government for a research in the field of the history of the Indian National Congress. The Union Government also provided me with a maintenance allowance for a period of two years to enable me to complete the work. I am grateful to the authorities of the Foundation and Government for their help. ### [c4.33](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.33) It remains to be added that the Section on the Indian National Congress is based on the material which I have collected in the College of the City of New York. ### [c4.34](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4.34) A. S. KODANDA RAO ## Linked texts (1) - [Kuṣāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.period.kusana) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c4) · Pramāṇa