Reverse: Goddess Lakshmi is always shown seated on a throne
King always facing left, holding Bow in left hand and arrow in right hand. Garuda bird on left.
Goddess always seated on a throne with lathe turned legs, back of throne shown on some coins - holding ribbons in right hand on some coins and dropping coins with right hand on other coins. Symbol in left top field.
Variety A: King's name Chandra under left arm. Variety B: King's name Chandra between bow and bowstring facing inside Variety C: King's name Chandra between bow and bowstring facing outside Variety D: King's name Chandra outside of bowstring. Bow held in middle. Variety E: King with sword, holding bow with string outside. Name missing.
Legend on Reverse: Srivikramah
Important note on Style:
The Class I coins stylistically point to an early stage of numismatic designs. The rendition of the head dress of the goddess on reverse of these coins has a very close resemblence to the Chandragupta I - Standard Type coin, which also shows the Goddess seated on a similar throne with lathe turned legs.
CHANDRAGUPTA BRAHMI TEXT
CLASS I, Var. A
Kings name chandra under arm
Chandragupta Archer - Goddess dropping coins
Kings name chandra under arm
Obverse: Legend - Deva-sri-maharajadhiraja-sri-Chandraguptah Bow
with bowstring inward held in crook of Kings arm. King facing left,
with big earrings and bracelet, wearing stylish tunic with tails.
Reverse: Legend - Sri vikramah Goddess Lakshmi sitting on throne. Holding cornucoupiae and dropping eight coins from right hand.
7.79gm, 2.0cm.
CHANDRAGUPTA II ARCHER CL 1 OBV
Kings name chandra under arm
Obverse: Legend - Deva-sri-maharajadhiraja-sri-Chandraguptah Bow with bowstring inward held in crook of Kings arm. King facing left, with big earrings and bracelet, wearing stylish tunic with tails.
Reverse: Legend - Sri vikramah Goddess Lakshmi sitting on throne. Holding cornucoupiae and dropping eight coins from right hand.
Coin weight: 7.78gms Dia: 1.9cm
CHANDRAGUPTA II ARCHER COIN CLASS I
King Chandragupta facing left, holding arrow in right hand, holding bow in left hand, bow facing inwards, 'chandra' under left hand. Sri-Vikrama on reverse, goddess seated on throne.
7.88gms.
Chandragupta II Archer Type coins
The two coins above are an amazing find!
Both of these coins are struck from the same Obverse die and different Reverse die's and help show the transition of the coinage from the use of the Kushan style of the Goddess on throne reverse to a more indianized version of the coinage showing the Goddess on a lotus.
Goddess on Throne Reverse: Weight: 7.68gm, Dia: 2.0cm Goddess on Lotus Reverse: Weight: 7.70gm, Dia: 2.0cm
CLASS I, Var. B
Chandra written between bow and bowstring which is facing inside.
Chandragupta II Archer with Quiver Coin
2.0cm, 7.86gm
On this coin, the mint masters have deviated from the traditional Archer design. On majority of the Archer coins, the King is shown holding a bow in left hand and holds an arrow in his right hand.
In this coin design, however, the King is shown reaching down to the Quiver which sits in front of him with arrows. This design is a hybrid of the popular Sceptre (standard) type, where the King is shown sprinkling incense on to the fire altar, and the Archer type where the King is shown holding an arrow.
The very important feature about this coin (as pointed out by Ms. Raven) is that this coin helps establish the bridge between the Chandragupta Class I coins with throne reverse and the Chandragupta Class II coins with Lotus reverse as this specimen is a twin to the coin featured on the cover coin in Ms. Raven's thesis1 where the same die was used to strike the Obverse, but the reverse depicts the Goddess seated on a Lotus - shown below.
1 Gold Coins with a Garuda Banner - E.M. Raven
Chandragupta II Archer Type with Lotus Reverse - State Museum Lucknow
This coin is die linked to the Shivlee coin above. Both coins have the same Obverse Die design, but the reverse on this coin shows the Goddess on a Lotus vs. the Shivlee Coin that shows the Goddess on a throne. This coin image is courtesy of Ms. Raven. This Class II Lotus reverse specimen is part of the collection at the State Museum Lucknow.
Chandragupta II Class I Archer
Class I, Variety B - Chandra written between bow and bowstring which is facing inside.
Obverse: Sharp and expressive features, short sleeved coat with buttons, ribbons and coat tail with beaded pants. King has big earrings, bracelet, Garuda Bird on Standard (rajdanda).
Reverse: Goddess Lakshmi seated on throne, diadem in right hand. Srivikrama - the 2 dots forming the "mha" is missing at the end of of the biruda. 7.60 gms
Chandragupta II Archer Class I
Class I, Variety B
Chandra between bow and bowstring, 7.70 gms, 1.9cm. Legend: Deva-sri-maharajadhiraja-sri-Chandraguptah
CLASS I, Var. D
Chandra written outside of bowstring
CHANDRAGUPTA II CLASS I ARCHER
King holds bow by middle, bowstring faces outside, chandra written vertically and outside of bowstring.
Goddess seated on throne. Srivikramah 7.78gms
This coin above is one of rarest strike's in this variety. Only about 5-6 coins of this variety are known to exist and none of the coins that have come to light so far match this coin's quality of design and well centered strike. Mostly all coins seen of this variety are of poor die and design execution.
Chandragupta Archer on Platform Class I coin
CLASS I, Var D
1.9cm King shown with beaded mala drooping from waist down to the legs, on obverse and standing on a platform. This version with the King shown on a platform can possibly be classified as a new variety or as a sub variety of Variety D.
The beaded mala (of pearls?) is a familiar depiction in Gupta art and can be seen on other coin types and varieties of Samudragupta and Chandragupta.
