The Age of the Imperial Guptas c10.96

c10.96

There are four varieties according to differing legends. The legends on the first variety are *Sākṣād=iva Narasimho Siṃha-Mahendro jayaty=aniśaṃ* on the obverse and *Śrī Mahendra-Siṃhaḥ*² on the reverse. The reverse legend on the second variety is the same but the obverse legend is *Kṣitipatir=ajita-Mahendraḥ Kumāragupto divam jayati.*³ In the third variety the obverse legend is *Kumāragupto vijayī Siṃha-Mahendro divam jayati* and that on the obverse simply *Siṃha-Mahendraḥ.* In the fourth variety the reverse legend is the same as in the third but the obverse legend is *Kumāragupto yudhi Siṃha-vikramaḥ.*⁴ The same legend occurs with slight variation of spelling which Allan constitutes into a separate variety. In his freak coinage Kumāragupta I closely followed those of his father, so like the Lion-slayer type there is a Tiger-slayer type also:—