The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c8.s1: King-and-Queen Type
The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c8.s1
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King-and-Queen Type
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*Obv:* Chandragupta, usually nimbate, standing to left, wearing trousers, head-dress,—in some cases with pearl-border,—and a close-fitting tailed coat. He wears ear-rings, armlets and necklace and holds in left hand a crescent-topped standard adorned with fillets. With his right hand he is offering a present to Kumāradevī, usually but not always nimbate, who stands facing him to right, wearing a *sāri*, an upper garment, a close-fitting head-dress, in some cases pearl-bordered, a necklace, earrings, and armlets. Her right hand is on waist and the left is hanging down. There is a crescent between the king and the queen on some coins.
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Legend: Under king's l. arm, written vertically *Chandra* (or *Chamdra*), outside the standard, also written vertically, *gupta*; (Pl. XXIV. 71). On the left, between VII and XI,¹ *Śrī-Kumāradevī* (Pl. XX, 2) or *Kumāradevīśrī*.
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¹ These numbers refer to their position on the face of a clock and are given to indicate the precise position of the legend.
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*Rev:* Within dotted border Goddess, nimbate, wearing a bodice, a *sārī*, an upper garment, a necklace and a circular pearl ornament round the forehead, seated facing on lion to right or left,² holding a noose in right hand and a cornucopiæ in the left; a circular dotted carpet under her feet; traces of back of the throne on most specimens.
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² Her legs are usually hanging down; in some cases she partially tucks up her left leg on the lion's head (Pl. I. 11). She is never astride the lion, nor is ever the lion shown walking, as on the coins of his grandson.
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Symbol to left in all cases and also to right in some. Legend; on right in a straight line, *Lichchhavayaḥ*; (Pl. XXIII. 43).
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COINS ILLUSTRATED : 6
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(1) Gold; .85"; 117.6 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. I. 1.
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*Obv:* King and queen, not nimbate, which is rather rare. King wears a pearl-bordered cap and trousers with prominent buttons. The object offered is held between the thumb and forefinger and looks like a ring. The crescent-top of the banner in the king's left hand is clearly visible. Legends, *Chandragupta*, last two letters being partly off the flan; *Śra-Kumāra-deva* behind the queen.
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*Rev:* Back of the throne not visible. Lion to r.; symbol on r. also. (Pl. I. 8.)
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(2) Gold; .8"; 121.3 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. I. 3.
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*Obv:* King and queen both nimbate. The handle of the object presented is grasped in the fist and its conical end peeps out above. Crescent top not visible. Legends; *Chandragupta*; *Śrī-Kumāradeva*.
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*Rev:* Back of the throne visible on r. Lion couchant to l.; no symbol on r. Legend, *Lachchhavayaḥ*. (Pl. I. 9.)
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(3) Gold; .85"; 118.4 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. I. 6.
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*Obv:* Crescent between the king and the queen. Crescent-top of the banner off the flan. Circular end of the *sindūradānī*, looking like a bangle, is peeping above the king's thumb; the object may also be a bangle queerly held. Legend as above, but blurred and truncated.
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*Rev:* Lion to r. Back of the throne is clearly visible on r. and the symbol on l., as it were counterbalancing it. No symbol on r. Legend, *Lachchhavayaḥ*. (Pl. I. 10.)
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(4) Gold; .8"; 123. 8 grains; *B.M.C.*, *G.D.*; Pl. III. 10.
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*Obv:* Crescent between the heads of the king and the queen. Standard in king's hand almost invisible. Both the handle and the circular end of the *sindūradānī* are clearly visible. Legend as above, but *Kumāradevī's* name is spelt as *[Ku]maradevaśra*, the honorific suffix coming at the end.
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*Rev:* Back of the throne visible; lion couchant to r. Legend, *Lachchhavayaḥ*. (Pl. I. 11.)
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(5) Gold; .85"; 118 grains; Bodleian Collection, *N. Ch.* 1891, Pl. II. 1.
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*Obv*: A coin of crude fabric. The object offered is held by the handle and its end, which looks more like a square than a circle, is distinctly visible. Legend as above, but the queen's name is off the flan. Three dots between the feet of the king and the queen.
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*Rev*: Lion to l. No back for the throne. Legend truncated. Symbol on l. only.
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(Pl. I. 12)
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(6) Gold; .8"; 113 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. III. 1.
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*Obv*: Crescent top of the standard is not visible. The handle of the object presented is held in the fist and its head is peeping out. A beautiful cluster of dots between the feet of the king and the queen. Legends, *Chamdragupta*; *Śra-Kumaradeva*. Note that the name is spelt as *Chamdra* and not as *Chandra* which is the usual manner.
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*Rev*: Lion to l. Legend, *Lachchhavayaḥ* truncated.
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(Pl. I. 13)
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Key to the coins referred to in this chapter and illustrated in Plate 1.
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COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL OF AGATHOKLES
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Silver; 1.3"; 263. 5 grains; *B.M.C., G.S.*, Pl. IV. 3.
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*Obv*: Head of Euthydemos to r., diademed, border of dots. Legend, ΕΥΘΥΔΗΜΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ.
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*Rev*: Heracles seated on rock with club resting on his knee. Legend, ΒΑΣΙΛΕΟΝΤΟΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ. Monogram below the rock.
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COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL OF EUCRATIDES
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Silver; 1.2"; weight not known; *P.M.C.*, Pl. I. IX, iv. *Obv:* Conjugate busts of Heliokles and Laodike; legend above, ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥ; below ΚΑΙ ΛΑΟΔΙΚΗ. Monogram behind the head. *Rev:* Helmeted bust of Eucratides to r.; legend above, ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ. (Pl. I. 2.)
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LATE KUSHANA OR SHAKA TYPE OF THE EASTERN PUNJAB.
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(3) Gold; .8"; weight not stated; *C.L.I.S.*, Pl. II. 1. *Obv:* King standing to l., wearing peaked cap, tailed and buttoned coat and trousers and holding a standard or spear in the l. hand and offering oblations by the r. on an altar in his front; trident in front of the king. Circular Greek legend in corrupt and illegible Greek script. Brāhmī legend; under l. arm, *mi*; *Shāka*, outside the spear written perpendicularly. *Rev:* Ardoksho seated on a high-backed throne, holding cornucopiæ in l. hand and noose in r.; symbol on l.; legend on r. in corrupt Greek script, ΑΡΔΟ... (Pl. I. 3.)
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LATE KUSHANA OR SHAKA TYPE OF THE WESTERN PUNJAB.
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(4) Gold; .9"; weight not recorded; *C.L.I.S.*, Pl. I. 13 (obv.), 14 (rev.). *Obv:* King as in Pl. I. 3; circular legend in corrupt Greek script illegible; Brāhmī legend outside the spear, *Roda*; between the feet, *yo* or *gho*; on l. *śa*. *Rev:* Śiva standing facing by the side of his mount bull holding trident in l. hand and noose in r.; symbol on l.; legend on r. *Oesho*¹ (to be read from outside) (Pl. I. 4.)
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¹ See p. 37, no. 1.
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LATE KUSHANA TYPE OF THE EASTERN PUNJAB. (Issued by king Bhadra)
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(5) Gold; .8"; weight not recorded; *C.L.I.S.*, Pl. II. 12. *Obv:* As on Pl. I. 3; but Greek legend off the flan. Under 1. arm *Bhadra*, which can be easily mistaken for *Chandra*; outside the standard *Shilada*. Note that *lada*, looks like *pta*. *Rev:* As on Pl. I. 3 but legend illegible. (Pl. I. 5.)
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A COIN OF HUVISHKA.
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(6) Gold; .8"; weight not stated; *P.M.C.*, Vol. I., Pl. XX, x, from B. M. *Obv:* Bust of the king to r., holding club in r. hand; usual circular Greek legend, partly off the flan, SHAO NANO SHAO OESHKI KOSHANO.¹ *Rev:* Goddess Nana, seated on lion to r., with her legs hanging down; she holds a club in r. hand; symbol on 1., legend NANO in corrupt Greek. (Pl. I. 6.)
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¹ Letters E and SH are written on the coin in their usual form current at this time. They are not reproduced in the text in these forms owing to typographical difficulties.
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A COIN OF KANESHKO
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(7) Gold; 1.2"; weight not known; *J.A.S.B.*, 1933, p. 7. *Obv:* King standing as in Pl. I. 4-6, but holding a trident in his 1. hand; another trident in front. Circular Greek legend blurred and corrupt; traces of *Kaneshko shao* can be seen on the 1. *Rev:* Goddess seated facing on lion walking to 1., holding noose in r. hand and a sceptre in 1.; lunar crescent behind her shoulders. Symbol in the upper l. quadrant. Legend on r. in illegible Greek script. (Pl. I. 7.)
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Note that the manner in which the goddess is seated on the lion and the fashion in which she is wearing the upper garment are closely similar to what we see on the coins of Chandragupta I; see Pl. I, 8, 11, 13.