Guptas: Coinage of the Guptas | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

The Gupta Dynasty: Origins and Coinage

The Gupta dynasty was established around 260 CE by a feudal lord named Srigupta. His son, Ghatotkacha, was unable to elevate the dynasty to imperial status and did not mint any coins. It was Chandragupta I, Ghatotkacha's son, who truly laid the foundation for the dynasty's greatness. Through a strategic marriage alliance with the Lichchhavis, particularly with a princess named Kumaradevi, Chandragupta I ascended to an imperial position. He adopted the title of maharajadhiraja, initiated the Gupta era, and began minting coins.

Gupta Coins: A New Era of Indigenous Coinage

• Gupta coins represent the earliest form of indigenous coinage in India. They were consistent in size and weight, featuring the figure and name of the issuer.
• Initially, these coins showed some foreign influence, but they quickly became distinctly Indian in their artistic style, motifs, and execution. The gold coinage of the Imperial Gupta is renowned for its artistic merit, variety, and originality, standing out among ancient Indian coinage.

Evolution of Gupta Coin

• The obverse of the Kushana prototype, depicting the king offering incense at an altar, was common in the early stages of Gupta coins.
• The reverse also copied the Kushana style, featuring Ardoksho seated on a high-backed throne.

Over time, Gupta coins became thoroughly Indianized. Key changes included:

• Replacing the Greek legend with a Brahmi legend.
• Removing the peacock Kushana cap from the Gupta emperor's head.
• Substituting Ardoksho with the goddess Laxmi seated on a lotus.
• Maintaining the Kushana practice of the king offering incense at the altar for some time.

Artistic Diversity in Gupta Coins

Gupta coins depicted the king in various postures and with different attributes. Common themes included:

• The king standing with a bow, battle axe, or standard, often accompanied by an umbrella-bearer.
• Scenes of the king grappling with animals like lions, tigers, or rhinoceroses.
• The king riding a horse or an elephant, playing a lute, or feeding a peacock.

Coins of Chandragupta II

• During the reign of Chandragupta II, certain types of coins became prevalent, such as the Archer type, which featured variations in the king's name placement, bow hand, and facial orientation.
• Gupta gold coins are celebrated for their exceptional craftsmanship, design, and artistic technique. The lion-slayer coins of Chandragupta II, showcasing a slim, muscular, and graceful figure, are particularly noteworthy. The depictions of standing queens or goddesses, holding lotus flowers or scattering gold coins, reflect the refined aesthetic of the period.

Artistic Mastery and Originality
Coins from different rulers exhibit original designs and mastery of artistic techniques. For instance:

• Chandragupta I and Kumaragupta I displayed strong king-and-queen types.
• Samudragupta's lyrist and asvamedha types were unique.
• Kumaragupta I's chakravikrama and lion-slayer types showed creativity.

Later Gupta Coins and Artistic Decline

• After Skandagupta, most successors focused on a single type, mainly the archer type. Only Prakashaditya opted for the Horse-man-Lion-slayer type.
• Allan's 1914 catalogue on Gupta coins introduced new artistic types like the archer, battle-axe, tiger-slayer, lion-slayer, Chhatra, horseman, and elephant types. These coins were original and showed no foreign influence. The best examples include Samudragupta's Asvamedha coins and Chandragupta II's lion-slayer type. However, artistic quality began to decline during Kumaragupta I's reign.

Poetic Merit of Coin Legends

• The legends on the coins are materialistic, with notable poetic merit. For instance, the legend Vijitavanira Vanipatih Kumaragupta Divam Jayati was introduced by Kumaragupta I and later adopted by Skandagupta, Buddhagupta, and other rulers.

Controversial Views on Coins

• Allan suggested that coins featuring Chandragupta I and his queen Kumaradevi were commemorative medals struck by Samudragupta. However, this interpretation is not supported by Dr. A.S. Altekar.

Variety of Coins in the Gupta Era

Numerous coins are attributed to Samudragupta, including:

• Tiger type coins
• Lyrist type coins
• Asvamedha type coins
• Archer type coins

There is also an extensive variety of coins from Chandragupta II, featuring types such as:

• Archer Type
• Couch type coins
• Chhattra type coins
• Lion Slayer type coins
• Horseman type coins

Silver Coinage in the Gupta Period

• Archer type
• Asvamedha type
• Horseman type
• Lion slayer type
• Tiger slayer type
• Elephant rider type

• While most coins were similar to those of his predecessors, the elephant rider type was a new introduction by Kumargupta I.

Chandragupta II initially issued silver coins only for provinces previously under the Western Satraps. During Kumargupta I’s reign, silver coins were minted for the home provinces of the Gupta Empire. These coins eliminated traces of Greek letters, discontinued the Kshatrapa bust, and replaced the Garuda with a peacock. Skandagupta and Buddhagupta continued the silver coinage featuring the peacock design.
The archer type coins of Skandagupta were primarily in gold, depicting the king with a bow and a Garuda Dhvaja. Some coins bore the legend Kramaditya, a title of Skandagupta, while others featured symbols like Garuda, bull, and altar, with the altar appearing on silver coins of Skandagupta.

Chandragupta I

Coins Issued

• Chandragupta I minted coins in two main types: the king and the queen types.

Obverse Design

• On the front side (obverse) of the coins, Chandragupta I is depicted, usually with a nimbus(a halo), standing to the left.
• He is shown wearing trousers, a head-dress(sometimes with a pearl border), and a close-fitting tailed coat.
• Chandragupta I is adorned with earrings,armlets, and a necklace. In his left hand, he holds a crescent-topped standard decorated with fillets. With his right hand, he is offering a present to Kumaradevi, who is depicted standing to the right.
• Kumaradevi is shown wearing a sari, an upper garment, a close-fitting head-dress, a necklace, earrings, and armlets. Her right hand is placed on her waist, and her left hand hangs down. On some coins, there is a crescent between the king and the queen.
• The inscription on the coins often reads "Chandragupta Sri Kumaradevi" or "Kumaradevi Sri."

Reverse Design

• On the back side (reverse) of the coins, there is an image of a goddess, dressed in fine attire and ornaments, seated on a lion facing either left or right.
• The goddess holds a noose in her right hand and a cornucopia in her left hand, with a circular dotted carpet beneath her feet.
• The legend on this side reads "lichchhavayah."
• Different sub-types of the coins are identified based on the placement of the legend, the direction of the figures' faces, and other details.

Samudragupta's Coins and Their Types

Samudragupta, a prominent ruler, issued various types of coins during his reign, each with distinct designs and meanings. The coins reflected his military achievements, personal interests, and royal status. Let's explore the different types of coins he issued and their significance.

Standard Type Coin:

• Obverse: The coin features a well-dressed king holding a standard (a type of flag or banner) in his left hand and offering incense with his right hand on an altar at his feet. Behind him is a standard decorated with a fillet and surmounted by a garuda (a mythical bird) facing.
• Legend: The vertical legend reads "Samudragupta," while the circular legend praises the king's military prowess: "the invincible king who has won victories on a hundred battlefields and conquered his enemies, wins heaven."
• Reverse: A goddess, possibly Lakshmi, is seated on a throne facing the viewer. She holds a cornucopia (a symbol of abundance) in her left hand and a noose in her right hand. Her feet rest on a circular mat, and the legend "parakramah" is inscribed.

Archer Type Coin:

• Obverse: The king is depicted standing on the left, holding a bow with the string facing inward. His right hand either holds an arrow or offers an oblation (a religious offering) on an altar. A garuda standard with a fillet is positioned to the left in front of the king, and a crescent may appear between the king's head and the banner.
• Legend: The vertical legend reads "Samudragupta," and the circular legend celebrates the king's achievements: "having conquered the earth, the invincible one (or lord of the earth) wins heaven by meritorious deeds."
• Reverse: Similar to the standard type, the goddess, likely Lakshmi, is seated holding a cornucopia in her left hand and a noose in her right hand. The legend is "apratirathah."

Battle-Axe Type Coin:

• Obverse: The king is shown standing either on the left or right, usually with a sword at his belt. His right hand rests on a west (a type of weapon), and his left hand holds a parasu (battle-axe). A dwarf attendant stands before the king, looking up at him, with a crescent-topped banner between them.
• Legend: The inscription reads "wielding the battle-axe of kritanta, the unconquered kings, is victorious."
• Reverse: Similar to the other types, the goddess Lakshmi is seated on a throne, holding a noose in her right hand and a cornucopia or lotus bud in her left hand. Her leg rests on a lotus, and the legend is "kritantaparasuh."

Asvamedha Type Coin:

• Obverse: An uncaparisoned horse, sometimes with a strap around its neck, is depicted to the left before a sacrificial post adorned with a pedestal. A pennon flies over the horse from the top of the post.
• Legend: The circular legend reads "the king of kings who has performed the vajimedha (asvamedha) sacrifice wins heaven after protecting (or conquering) the earth."
• Reverse: A crowned queen, Dattadevi, stands to the left on a pearl-bordered circular mat. She holds a chouri (a type of ceremonial fan) over her right shoulder in her right hand and a towel in her left hand, hanging by her side. The legend is "asvamedhaparakramah."

Tiger-Slayer Type Coin:

• Obverse: The king, wearing a turban, short jacket, and close-fitting dhoti, is depicted trampling on a tiger attacking him. He shoots the tiger with a bow in his right hand while stretching the bowstring to his ear with his left hand. Behind the tiger is a crescent-topped standard adorned with a fillet.
• Legend: The circular legend reads "valiant like a tiger."
• Reverse: The goddess Ganga is depicted standing on a makara (a mythical sea creature) with a lotus in her left hand and her right hand outstretched and empty. A crescent-topped banner with fillets is on the left. The legend reads "king Samudragupta."

Lyrist Type Coin:

• Obverse: The king is shown seated cross-legged to the left on a couch with a high and cushioned back, playing a lute (vina) resting on his lap. Beneath the couch, the letter "si" is inscribed, and the circular legend reads "Samudragupta, overlord of kings."
• Reverse: The goddess Lakshmi is seated to the left on a stool, holding a noose in her right hand and a cornucopia in her left hand. The legend is "Samudraguptah."

Kacha

• The coins of Kacha were issued in one type. It is generally agreed that Kacha was an early Gupta ruler, but the attribution of Kacha coins is a matter of dispute. The early view advocated by Prinsep and Thomas was that Kacha should be identified with Ghatotkacha, the father of Chandragupta I. But Ghatotkacha was a merely feudatory and he could hardly have issued any coins. Some scholars identify Kacha with Samudragupta, while others as either his brother or son.
• In favour of the identity of Kacha with Samudragupta, the average weight about 116 grains, simile in legend with archer type of Samudragupta and reverse depiction with tiger-slayer and asvamedha type, the reverse legend ‘sarvarajochhetta’ epithet given to Samudragupta. These arguments are not conclusive, and Kacha was different from Samudragupta.
• Altekar says that Kacha was a Gupta king and came after Samudragupta. On the coins king standing to right, holding chakradhvaja(standard surmounted by wheel) in left hand and offering incense on altar with right hand, garudadhvaja in front of the king on some cases. The legend is Kacha and circular one is ‘Kacho gamavajitya divam karmabhiruttamairjayati’– having conquered the earth, Kacha wins the heaven by excellent deeds.
• On reverse, goddess (Lakshmi?) standing on a circular carpet holding a flower or noose in left hand. The legend is ‘sarvarajochhetta’– exterminator of all kings.

Chandragupta II

• Chandragupta II did not merely continue the types of his father and add two new to them. He followed the standard type, archer type, tiger-slayer type transformed in lion-slayer type, the lyrist type replaced by couch type. He did not issue asvamedha and kritantaparasu types. The chakravikrama type, horseman, and chhatra types are new innovation.
• Vikrama either by itself or in combination with other words like ajita-,simha- and chakra- is the invariable epithet of Chandragupta II on his coins. Later in his reign he started silver currency primarily to meet the needs of newly acquired area of Gujarat and Kathiawar. He also issued several types in copper.
• On the archer type, king standing left, holds bow in left hand and arrow in right, whose palm is generally turned downwards. Garuda standard decorated with fillets in his front. Chandra, written vertically, circular legend ‘deva sri maharajadhiraja sri Chandraguptah’. On the reverse, goddess is seated on throne feet on circular mat or lotus. In her left hand holds a cornucopiae or lotus and the right hand holds a pasa (noose) but it is sometimes empty or dropping down. Legend is ‘srivikramah’.
• On the lion-slayer type, king standing left or right and usually shooting an arrow at the lion at point blank range, bow in left hand or right hand and from other starching the bow-string. King is almost touching the lion. The legend is ‘narendrachandrah prathitarano rane jayatyajeyo bhuvi simhavikramah’– the moon among the king, who is famous for his warfare, who is valourous like a lion, is victorious in the battle field. For the variations in this type, one can see the lion-combat, lion-trampler, lion-retreating types.
• On the horseman type, king riding a full caparisoned horse to right or left, with weapons like bow, sword or shown without weapon. Legend ‘paramabhagavata maharajadhiraja sri Chandraguptah’– the great devotee of Vishnu, the emperor Chandragupta. On the reverse, goddess seated on stool, noose in right hand and lotus in left, legend ‘ajitavikramah’.
• On chhatra type, king standing left offering oblations on altar in his front with right hand, left hand resting on sword, behind him a dwarf attendant holding state umbrella (chhatra) over him. The legend is ‘maharajadhiraja sri Chandraguptah’– king of kings, his majesty Chandragupta or ‘kshitimavajitya sucharitairadivam jayati Vikramadityah’– having conquered the earth, Vikramaditya wins the heaven by his meritorious deeds. On the reverse, goddess holding noose in right hand and lotus in left, legend ‘vikramadityah’.
• On the couch type, king seated on high back couch holding flower in uplifted right hand, the left hand resting on the edge of couch, circular legend ‘devasri maharajadhiraja sri Chandraguptasya vikramadityasya’– of the emperor, his majesty, Chandragupta Vikramaditya. Beneath the couch is written ‘rupakrita’. On the reverse, goddess seated on throne holds lotus in left or right hand. Some of the varieties bear legend ‘paramabhagavata’.

On the king and queen on couch type, king standing to left, offering incense on an altar before him and holding a standard in the right hand. Chandra is written under the left arm and the circular legend begins with ‘paramabhagavata’. On the reverse, king and the queen are sitting on a couch facing each other. The king is offering to the queen an object with a curved handle and a thick knob at the top, possibly a sinduradani. Crescent depicted between the two. Legend is ‘srivikramah’.

On the standard type, king is shown standing to left holding in left hand standard adorned with fillet and offering oblations on altar by right hand, garuda standard behind the altar. Chandragupta and ‘vasudha vijitya tradava prithavasvarah’– having conquered the globe, the lord of the earth wins heaven by meritorious deeds. On reverse, goddess is shown seated on throne, facing holding noose in outstretched right hand and cornucopiae in the left hand, and ‘paramabhagavat’ is written.

• On the Chakravikrama type, God Chakrapurusha is standing to right within a double-rimmed wheel, holding a mace (gada) in his left hand hanging by his side and offering by right hand three round objects held in his palm to king standing facing him, extending his right hand to receive the divine gift and left hand is placed on the hilt of a sword hanging by the left leg. On the reverse, within the dotted border Lakshmi standing on a lotus holding a lotus with a long stalk having a bud as well. The legend is ‘chakravikrama’. It is presumed that king receiving a divine favour direct from Chakrapurusha, who is manifesting himself before him for that purpose, the prasada in the form of three round objects may be taken to symbolize three fold royal power consisting of prabhusakti,utsahasakti and mantrasakti, which together constitute the kriyasakti of a king, as Chakrapurusha was a representation of the kriyasakti of Vishnu.
• The silver coins are copy of the Kshatrapa silver issue current in western India. On the obverse the king’s bust is closely modelled on that of the Kshatrapa prototype but Saka era is replaced by the Gupta era. On the reverse, the wavy line at the bottom, the crescent and the cluster of dots at the top are allowed to continue, but the three-arched hill in the centre replaced by garuda. Silver coins of Chandragupta II are divided into two classes. In class 1, the legend ends with ‘vikramaditya’ and mention the religious persuasion and not the family name of the issuer –‘paramabhagavata maharajadhiraja sri Chandragupta vikramaditya’, while in class 2 the legend ends with ‘vikramanka’ and gives the family name ‘sri guptakulasya maharajadhiraja sri Chandragupta vikramaditya’.
• The copper coinage of Chandragupta is fairly original, known in different types like, chhatra type, standing king type, archer type, bust type, chakra type, and vase type. On vase type, within dotted border Chandra surmounted by a crescent and on reverse within dotted border kalasa or vase with flowers hanging down from its edge is shown. Chakra type bears in upper half chakra or wheel, in the lower half Chandra is written and on the reverse in the upper half garuda in the lower half gupta is written. On the standing king type, king standing left with right hand raised up and on the reverse garuda having no human arms and legend sri Chandraguptah. On the bust type, king bust holding flower in uplifted right hand and garuda with outstretched wings and the name of the king on the reverse. Garuda sometimes represented with human hands and in other examples without human hands.