Kumaragupta I Archer Type Altekar, in his corpus of Gupta coins breaks down this Type into 4 Classes.
CLASS I: Kumara under left arm of King. Legend is in prose Maharajadhiraja-sri-Kumaraguptah CLASS II: Kumara in vertical legend outside of bowstring which is held by middle, bowstring facing outside.
Var B: Legend Maharajadhiraja-sri-Kumaraguptah Var A: Legend Guneso mahitalam... jayati Kumarah ... Prominent in merit,... Kumara conquers the world.
CLASS III: Ku under the arm of the King.
Var A - Legend: Vijitavaniravanipatih Kumaragupto divam jayati - King Kumaragupta, who has conquered the earth, wins the heaven. Var B - Legend: jayati mahitalam Sri-Kumaraguptah Var C - Legend: Jayati mahitalam Sri-Kumaraguptah sudanvi - The excellent Archer Kumaragupta conquers the earth.
Class IV: No Ku or Kumara under Kings Arm on obverse.
Var A - Legend: Paramarajadhiraja-Sri- Kumaragupta - Kumaragupta the great king of kings.
Var B - Legend: Jayati mahitalam Sri Kumaraguptah.
Reverse:Goddess seated on a Lotus with noose in right hand, lotus in left hand. Sometimes she is seen scattering coins with right hand or holding a flower. Legend: Srimahendrah
KUMARAGUPTA BRAHMI TEXT
CLASS I Kumara under Kings arm
Variety A - King facing to front
This is the ONLY coin in the entire Gupta Coinage where the King is shown facing to the front.
KUMARAGUPTA I - ARCHER TYPE, CLASS V
The coin shown above is one of the 2 coins known to exist and the only one in private collection. (the other coin is in the Indian Museum (IM112,10) 1.
King shown as tall and bare chested young man in a youthful, limber pose. 8.01gm.
The King holds an arrow in right hand (at waist) and is shown wearing a dhoti. He wears a crown, with pearl necklace and big earrings and holds a small bow grasped in his left hand at the top of bow.
Kumara under left hand.
Reverse shows Lakshmi holding a noose and a flower. Sri-mahendrah
1 Ellen M. Raven, Gupta Gold Coins with a Garuda Banner, Edbert Forsten, Groningen, 1994, plate no. LI, # 121. (Indian Museum IM112,10).
CLASS I New Variety B
Kumara under Kings arm - King shown with a Huge Dagger hanging left side.
This is the ONLY known specimen of this variety
Kumaragupta Archer with Dagger Coin
CLASS I, Var B
King shown with Dagger at waist. 8.22gm.
Once again the Mint masters have outdone themselves in designing a beautiful portrayal of the King holding a bow. In this exceptionally rare coin variety, the King is shown with a Huge Dagger hanging off his left side from the waist.
Kumara under Kings left arm. The Garuda bird on pedestal has a snake around the neck. Reverse shows the Goddess holding a diedem made of pearls. Biruda on reverse is Srimahendrah..
Class II
Kumara in vertical legend outside of bowstring which is held by middle, bowstring facing outside.
KUMARAGUPTA II ARCHER COIN
Archer Type, Class II, Var A : Legend starts with Maharaja [dhiraja-sri-Kumaraguptah].
Kumaragupta Archer Type Class II with Mala
Goddess holding a Mala (garland) in her right hand (very rare variety - for a similar rendition of the Goddess holding a Mala - see Kumaragupta I - Lion Slayer Coins)
Obverse: King holding bow with Kumara under Kings arm.
Reverse: A very unique reverse. Goddess seated on Lotus, but holds a beaded mala (garland) in her right hand. Sri Mahendrah.
7.8g 1.8cm
This is the first coin to come to light with this unique design. Usually the goddess is shown holding ribbons or dropping coins.
Kumaragupta Archer Type Class II new variety
New Variety C
Goddess sitting with right leg hanging down
Obverse: King holding bow with Kumara under Kings arm.
Reverse: A very unique reverse. Goddess seated on Lotus with right leg hanging down and left leg folded. Sri Mahendrah.
7.6g 1.8cm
This is the first coin to come to light with this unique design. Usually the goddess is shown holding ribbons or dropping coins.
Class III 'Ku' under Arm
This coin below is an exceptional strike and design which is very closely resembles the design sytle of the Kumaragupta Chattra Type coins.
Another very unique feature on this coin is the depiction of the Makara fish originating from the lotus bed - the head of the Makara fish can be seen and a stalk of lotus is shown coming out of the mouth of the Makara fish.
It is important to note here that the tamagha (symbol) is missing on the reverse. In this design, the symbol has been replaced with a full bloom flower originating from the lotus stalk.
KUMARAGUPTA I ARCHER GOLD COIN
Exceptional strike. Legend starting at 1 O'clock - jayati ma [hitalam Sri-Kumaraguptah]
Note the wings on the Garuda bird... Ku under Kings arm. Beautiful strike on reverse - Sri-Mahendrah.
Goddess holding a flower in her right hand, with long stalk originating from the head of a makara.
Makara: An elephant headed fish monster living in river Ganges, shown in early Indian & Buddhist Iconography as the source of the Lotus plant.
Class III - a rare variety ... Ku under Kings Arm but Goddess dropping coins
A unique and rare variety - with the Goddess dropping coins from her right hand instead of holding ribbons. The symbol on the reverse of this coin resembles a Conch shell. It is possible that this is a degenerated symbol.
Legend on Obverse starts with Jaya... Reverse - Shri Mahendra
Kumaragupta I Archer Type Coin
Goddess seated on lotus, dropping coins
Obverse: King holder Bow facing inwards. Ku on left of bow string. Trace of legend ... mahitalem... 7.9gms.
Reverse: Goddess seated on Lotus dropping coins with right hand. Beautiful rendition and detail of the goddess with earings and folds of the Sari. Biruda on reverse - Shri Mahendra.
Most coins of this Class show the Goddess holding ribbons in her right hand. This type of design with the goddess dropping coins is quite rare and possibly could be limited to a specific mint.
Class III Variety B
Garuda Standard has a turned lathe design. 8.0gm
Kumaragupta Archer coin
Kumaragupta Archer Coin
Class IV No Ku or Kumara under King's arm.
KUMARAGUPTA ARCHER CLASS IV GOLD COIN
Legend starting at 1 O'clock [Paramarajadhiraja] shri ku ma ra gu [ptah:]
