Lot 2351

Description

Samudragupta, (c.A.D. 330-370), gold stater, (7.52 grams), dynastic or king and queen type, obv. to right the king's father Chandragupta I, standing, wearing Kushan style coat and trousers, holding a standard with his left hand, to left the king's mother, Kumaradevi, standing, wearing sari and looking down at a small object being offered to her by the king. Both figures are nimbate with their heads turned towards each other, rulers names to left and right, rev. goddess Lakshmi seated facing on a lion, holding a cornucopiae and a noose, symbol to left, to right Brahmi legend Lichchhavayah, (Altekar plate I, 13, BMC 23 [Pl.III, 1] from very similar dies, cf.M.4792). Of the finest style, reverse sligtly off centre, extremely fine, rare, but very rare in this condition.

Ex. Spink & Son, Pty. Ltd., London, by private purchase, June 23, 1978. $$ Altekar and other earlier numismatists assigned this coin to Chandragupta I, but Allan and others regarded the issue as a dynastic commemmorative struck by Samudragupta. This is the view also held by Mitchiner and is now the generally accepted view. The reverse legend Lichchhavayah, refers to the Lichchhavi dynastic origin of the ruling family. The obverse portraits are treated with great skill and reprsent the finest examples of human figures on all Indian coinage. This example, in almost as struck condition, of the finest style of portraiture, is a most desireable coin, as it is one of the finest examples surviving.