GUPT-18 Click on image for enlargement.
Indian Coins, Gupta. Kumaragupta I , 415-455 AD, Gold Dinar
8.21 g. 17.2 mm. die-axis 11 o'clock. The rhinoceros-slayer type.
Obverse: Part of legend around BHARTA KHADGATRATA KUMARAGUPTO JAYATYANISAM
in Gupta-Bramhi script, ever victorious is the lord Kumaragupta who is khadgattrata,
protector by the sword from the rhinoceros. King riding a caparisoned horse to right,
wearing a decorated coat and trousers. Holds a sword in right hand which is pointed towards a rhinoceros
in the right field.
Reverse: SRI MAHENDRA KHADGAH in Gupta-Bramhi script,
rhinoceros killed by king Mahendra. Goddess Ganga standing facing, head left, wearing lower garments,
shawl and jewellery. She stands on a makara (elephant-head crocodile) which offers a lotus with it trunk
to Ganga (the river). In right field an small attendant standing behind, holds a chattra (parasol) above
Ganga, in right field a royal symbol (tamgha) right.
Authentication was compared to known authentic examples housed in museums. The obverse and reverse dies matched the specimen in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, England. (HCR6580).
There are several vareities of this type.
An extremely rare genuine gold coin of the Gupta Imperial mints, solid gold coin not a filled metal electrotypes / reproductions.