The Age of the Imperial Guptas c10.140

c10.140

With the death of the emperor Skandagupta the great Gupta empire comes to an end and with it practically Gupta coinage also. Skandagupta was succeeded by his half-brother, Puragupta, who issued gold coins only of the Archer type. Like those of his great-grandfather C'andragupta II, Puragupta used the *Āditya*-name or *biruda* of *Vikkrama*. In certain coins his name is to be found in a vertical line beneath the left arm but on certain coins the name is omitted. The circular legend has not been completely read or restored as yet. Allan attributes certain enigmatic coins with the *Āditya*-name *Prakāśāditya* to Puragupta and the subject will be discussed below. In the British Museum collection there is only one coin of Puragupta with the king’s name under the left arm and three others without the name of the king. Therefore this king could not have reigned for more than a year or two. His son and successor Narasimhagupta appears to have reigned a little longer as the British Museum possesses 12 coins in all of this king. All coins of Narasimhagupta are of gold and of the Archer type which is the only type known from the days of Skandagupta to those of his brother's grandson Kumāragupta II. The Archer type of Narasimhagupta is divided into two classes according to the fabric. The coins of a ruder fabric fall into the second class and appear to have been issued at a time of great pressure. The coins of this king are very heavy, being 143.5 to 148.7 grains.¹ The young king Kumāragupta II was the son of Narasimhagupta and like his father and grandfather issued coins of the Archer type only. His *biruda* is *Kramādityaḥ* like Skandagupta. Like the coins of Narasimhagupta Bālāditya the coins of Kumāragupta II are divided into two classes according to the fabric. The coins of the finer fabric weigh from 139.5 to 143 grains; but those of the ruder fabric from 146 to 151 grains. The second class shows a long circular legend *Mahārājādhirāja-Śrī-Kumāragupta-Kramādityaḥ*. On both of these classes, only the first syllable of the king's name *Ku* is legible.²