The Shivlee Collection©

 

THE SHIVLEE COLLECTION

GUPTA DYNASTY HISTORY

CHANDRAGUPTA I COINS

Standard (Sceptre) Type

King&Queen on Couch Type

SAMUDRAGUPTA COINS

Standard (Sceptre)

Archer Type Coins

Lyrist Type Coins

Asvamedha Type Coins

Battle Axe Type Coins

King and Queen Type Coins

Tiger Slayer Type Coins

Silver Coins of Samudra

RAMAGUPTA COINS

COPPER COINS

KACHAGUPTA

KACHAGUPTA GOLD COINS

ASVAMEDHA COPPER COIN

CHANDRAGUPTA II COINS

CII ARCHER HALF DINARS

CII ARCHER CLASS I COINS

CII ARCHER CLASS II COINS

CII CHATTRA TYPE COINS

CII HORSEMAN TYPE COINS

CII KING & QUEEN TYPE

CII COUCH TYPE

CII LION SLAYER COINS

SILVER COINS

COPPER & LEAD COINS

KUMARAGUPTA I

K1 ARCHER TYPE COINS

K1 HORSEMAN TYPE COINS

K1 CHATTRA TYPE COINS

K1 ASVAMEDHA TYPE COIN

K1 KARTIKEYA TYPE COINS

K1 SWORDSMAN TYPE COIN

K1 TIGER SLAYER COINS

K1 LION SLAYER COINS

K1 ELEPHANT RIDER COINS

K1 GARUDA TYPE COINS

K1 Copper Coins

K1 Silver Coins

K1 Lead Coins

SKANDAGUPTA

SKANDA ARCHER COINS

SKANDA KING & LAKSHMI

SKANDA Silver Coins

SKANDA Lead Coins

PURUGUPTA COINS

CHANDRAGUPTA III

SAMUDRAGUPTA II

PRAKASADITYA COINS

NARASIMHAGUPTA BALADITYA

KUMARAGUPTA II COINS

BUDDHAGUPTA COINS

BUDDHAGUPTA ARCHER TYPE

BUDDHAGUPTA SILVER COINS

VISHNUGUPTA

JAYAGUPTA COINS

SAMACHAR DEVA GUPTA

POST-GUPTA COINAGE

RESEARCH:

BRAHMI SCRIPT

INSCRIPTIONS - INDIA

Maps Ancient India Kings

National Museum - GUPTA

Images -Gupta Nat Musm

National Museum - MUGHALS

Images - Mughals Natl Mus

Books

Scholarships & Grants

Kumaragupta I   -  Horseman Type

This type is divided into two classes based on the reverse.   Class I shows the goddess on the reverse sitting along on a wicker stool. Class II shows the goddess feeding a peacock. 

Reverse legend on both class:  Ajitamahendrah  - Victorious Mahendra.   These coins are all issued to a weight standard of 8.22gms.
 

CLASS I:  (Goddess always on wicker stool)

Var A -
King is shown riding to right without any weapons.   Saddle is decorated.

Legend: Prithivitalambarasasi Kumaragupto Jayatyajitah - Invincible Kumaragupta, who is as it were the moon in the sky in the form of the earth's surface, is victorious.

Var B -
Single specimen in the Bayana hoard - King riding to left, a bow in right hand. No decoration on saddle.  Legend:  Jayati nripo'ribhirajitah - Victorious is the king who is never defeated by the enemies.

Var C -
Obverse similar to Var A, horse facing right, King carries no weapons. Legend:  Kshitipatirajito vijayi Kumaragupto divam jayati - The unconquered and victorious king Kumaragupta, wins the heaven.


Class II - (Goddess always feeding peacock on reverse)

Var A - 
King bare headed with wig like hair, riding to right, wearing coat and trousers.  Legend:  Guptakuavyomasasi jayatyajeyo' jitamahendrah - The unconquered and invincible Mahendra, who is a moon in the sky of Gupta family is victorious. 
Var B -
King riding to left, bow in right hand and a sword hangs by his left side.  Legend:  Guptakulamalachandro mahendrakaramjito jayati  -  The spotless moon of the Gupta family, the invincible hero, who is as valorous as Mahendra, is victorious.

Var C -
King riding to right, carries no weapons.  Legend slightly different from variety C of Class I - Kshitipatirajito vijayi Kumaragupto jayatyajitah  - The invincible and victorious king Kumaragupta carries the day, being undefeated.

Var D -
King rides to the right, holding a bow in the left hand.  Legend begins at VII - Prithivitalesvarendrah Kumaraguo Jayatayajitah - Invincible Kumaragupta, a vertitable Indra on the surface of the earth, conquers (the enemy). 

Class I, Var B

Single specimen in the Bayana hoard - King riding to left, a bow in right hand. No decoration on saddle.  Legend:  Jayati nripo'ribhirajitah - Victorious is the king who is never defeated by the enemies.


Kumaragupta Horseman Coin
Kumaragupta Horseman to left


















King riding to left, Lakshmi on wicker stool.   Very rare variety.
8.24gm

Class II, Var A


King bare headed with wig like hair, riding to right, wearing coat and trousers.  Legend:  Guptakuavyomasasi jayatyajeyo' jitamahendrah - The unconquered and invincible Mahendra, who is a moon in the sky of Gupta family is victorious. 


KUMARAGUPTA II HORSEMAN TYPE COIN FROM BAYANA HOARD
KUMARAGUPTA II HORSEMAN TYPE COIN FROM BAYANA HOARD


This coin is from the original Bayana Hoard. For more information on the Bayana Hoard see http://www.shivlee.com/guptadynasty.html   


KUMARAGUPTA I HORSEMAN TYPE GOLD COIN
KUMARAGUPTA I HORSEMAN TYPE



Class II, Var. B


King riding to left, bow in right hand and a sword hangs by his left side.  Legend:  Guptakulamalachandro mahendrakaramjito jayati  -  The spotless moon of the Gupta family, the invincible hero, who is as valorous as Mahendra, is victorious.


Kumaragupta Horseman Type
Kumaragupta Horseman Type
8.23 gm.

Goddess Lakshmi seated left on wicker stool, feeding peacock, symbol to upper left, Sanskrit legend
Ajitamahendra

This coin is from the Ex. G.M. Browne Collection
Altekar 176 II.B.



Kumaragupta I Horseman Type
Kumaragupta I Horseman Type

King riding to left, with bow. 8.17gm.

Class II, Var. C
 
King riding to right, carries no weapons.  Legend slightly different from variety C of Class I - Kshitipatirajito vijayi Kumaragupto jayatyajitah  - The invincible and victorious king Kumaragupta carries the day, being undefeated.


KUMARAGUPTA II HORSEMAN TYPE COIN
KUMARAGUPTA II HORSEMAN TYPE COIN




















King without weapons, Kshitipatirajito vijayi Kumaragupto jayatyajitah  

Reverse - Note style of legs of Goddess... a very creative and unique style to Kumaragupta Coins. 8.18gm.  Ajita[mahendrah. 

Note the excellence in design and depiction of the Goddess crossed legs.  A truly rare example showing the mastery of design during the height of the Gupta Empire.

Class II, Var. D


King rides to the right, holding a bow in the left hand.  Legend begins at VII - Prithivitalesvarendrah Kumaraguo Jayatayajitah - Invincible Kumaragupta, a vertitable Indra on the surface of the earth, conquers (the enemy). 


Kumaragupta Horseman Type
kumaragupta Horseman Type

Very rare variety. 

Notice Sword at kings side.  8.12gm. 

King on horseback, right, holding bow in left hand. 
Sanskrit legend: Prithivitalesvarendrah Kumaraguo Jayatayajitah

Reverse shows Goddess offering an unusual object to a Peacock. Ajitamehandrah. 

King is shown here with a Sword on the obverse. On the reverse, the object shown above the Goddess's hand is possibly a tamagha and should not be confused with the grapes being offered to the Peacock.  
This coin is from the Ex. G.M. Browne Collection

                   Images and design copyright Shivlee Collection





style="font: 9px sans-serif" title="log analyzer">log analyzer
 

A comprehensive collection of rare gold coins from the Gupta Empire of India.