The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c9.s4.6

c9.s4.6

The Aśvamedha coins are among the best specimens of the numismatic art of ancient India. The horse on the obverse looks noble and graceful and seems to be resigned to its impending doom. The figure of the queen is slim and graceful; her attitude is one of alertness, as befits her role in the sacrifice. Obviously the best artists were selected to cut the dies and they were fully conscious of the importance of the event they were called upon to commemorate on the imperial coins.