Marudhar Arts
Auction 22 25 February 2017
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Gupta Empire, Samudragupta(335-370 AD),Gold Dinar, Sceptre Type(Standard),Obv:king nimbate, standing left, wearing a much stylised kushan tunic, garuda standard and sacrificing over fire altar left andholding the royalsceptre (rajadanda)in right hand, brahmi legend from 2 oclock Samarashatavitata.(Vijayajagatajitaripurojitodivamjayati) and Samudrabelow,Rev:nimbate goddess lakshmi seated on a high-backed throne, holding cornucopia in one hand and diadem in the other, brahmi legend Devakramain the right field and tamgha to the left,7.24g, 21.90mm, Unpublished,about very fine, Rare.
This Coin is undoubtedly one of the first of Gupta coin series if Samudragupta is to be considered to issue in the earliest series, it shows a dissimilarity with the reverse title, it is quite clear that the Samudragupta coin does not read out Parakrama on the reverse of this coin as his title is seen on the normal standard/Sceptre types he was mentioned in Samudraguptas Allahabad pillar legend. Instead it readsDevakrama in clear brahmi legends, the Gupta idea of kingship through the adoption of the title Devakamapriya from Ashoka the Great (Rummindei pillar inscription) was also adopted by Samudragupta as mentioned in line 6 of Bairat stone inscription that mentions Samudragupta as Devakramapriya (beloved by Gods). This is indeed a remarkable and a unique specimen so far capturing the title adopted by the Great Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.
Devakrama-This title of Samudragupta has appeared for the first time.
This Coin is undoubtedly one of the first of Gupta coin series if Samudragupta is to be considered to issue in the earliest series, it shows a dissimilarity with the reverse title, it is quite clear that the Samudragupta coin does not read out Parakrama on the reverse of this coin as his title is seen on the normal standard/Sceptre types he was mentioned in Samudraguptas Allahabad pillar legend. Instead it readsDevakrama in clear brahmi legends, the Gupta idea of kingship through the adoption of the title Devakamapriya from Ashoka the Great (Rummindei pillar inscription) was also adopted by Samudragupta as mentioned in line 6 of Bairat stone inscription that mentions Samudragupta as Devakramapriya (beloved by Gods). This is indeed a remarkable and a unique specimen so far capturing the title adopted by the Great Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.
Devakrama-This title of Samudragupta has appeared for the first time.