After the collapse of the Kushan empire, several new and established kingdoms emerged on the edge. One such dynasty was the Guptas, believed to have originated as a wealthy family from either Magadha or Prayaga (now in Uttar Pradesh). The Gupta era is celebrated as the “Golden Age” of classical India. This was the time when renowned universities like Nalanda and Taxila flourished. Additionally, eminent writers and scientists, such as Kalidasa and Aryabhatta, helped foster immense creativity. Gupta art and coinage are revered as the pinnacles of classical Indian art. They are renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship, intricate designs, and high-quality materials. However, the level of excellence in Gupta numismatic art appears to have declined over time. This left the later periods to be perceived as unable to match their artistic prowess.

Numismatic Art and Coinage

Coins are prominent because of their inherent value and most importantly, their role in political and economic activities. Coins have been closely tied to individuals, institutions, and states since ancient times. They are an important archaeological source for understanding India’s history. The Gupta coins are the earliest indigenous coinage of India. The Gupta gold coins, known as Dinars, are exceptional examples of numismatic and artistic excellence. While briefly showing some foreign influence, they quickly became thoroughly Indian in their art, motifs, and execution.

The gold coinage of the Imperial Guptas is unparalleled in ancient Indian numismatics for its artistic merit, variety, and originality. Gupta coinage represents the height of metallurgy and iconography. Being native, they depict the king, queen, and deities in Indian attire with great elegance. Gupta coins show the ruler in diverse poses and attributes – standing and wielding a bow, battle axe, or standard, sometimes with an umbrella bearer, often engaged in a battle with a lion, tiger, or rhinoceros, and at times riding a horse or elephant, playing a lute, or feeding a peacock.

Chandragupta I: King and Queen Type

Credits: Coin India

The “King and Queen” coins issued by Chandragupta depict him and his wife, Kumaradevi. This coinage commemorates a crucial moment in early Gupta history – Chandragupta’s marriage to the Lichchavi princess Kumaradevi. This alliance helped boost the young and ambitious king’s fortunes, enabling him to start expanding his territory.

On the front, Chandragupta is shown standing, often with a crown, dressed in fancy attire like trousers, a headdress, and a tailored coat. On the coins, the king has his right hand raised close to the queen’s face, leaving numismatists wondering what exactly is happening between them – some think he might be holding an object or applying sindoor (vermilion) to her forehead. Kumaradevi is shown standing beside him, wearing a sari, an upper garment, and jewellery. Some coins even have a crescent symbol between the royal couple. The reverse depicts a goddess seated on a lion, holding a noose and a cornucopia, on a dotted background. Variations in the positioning of the legends and the orientation of the figures indicate the existence of different subtypes of these coins.

Samudragupta

During his long reign, he minted a variety of coin types, with the standard type being the most popular. The archer and battle-axe coins were variations of this standard type and were considered military-themed. To celebrate his battlefield victories, he conducted the Ashvamedha sacrifice, which led to the introduction of the Ashvamedha coin. He also had a love for sports and music, and to share these passions with his subjects and future generations, he included them on some of his coins, creating the tiger-slayer and lyrist types.

Standard Type

Credits: Coin India

The coin shows a well-dressed king on the obverse, holding a standard in his left hand and offering incense with his right on an altar. Behind him is a decorated standard topped with a Garuda. The inscriptions around the image include “Samudragupta” and a legend:  ‘samara-sata-vitata-vijayo jita-ripurajito divam jayati’ (The conqueror of the unconquered fortresses of his enemies, whose victory was spread in hundreds of battles, conquers heaven). On the reverse side, the goddess Lakshmi is depicted seated on a throne, holding a Cornucopia in her left hand and a noose in her right, with her feet resting on a circular mat.

Archer Type

Credits: Coin India

On the archer type coin, the king is shown standing to the left, holding a bow with the string facing inwards. His right hand might be holding an arrow or offering something on an altar. In front of him, there’s a Garuda standard with a decorative filet, and sometimes a crescent is positioned between the king’s head and the banner. The inscriptions include “Samudragupta” and a circular legend that reads, “‘apratiratho vijitya kshitim sucharitair (or avaniso) divam jayati” (Unopposed by hostile chariots, conquering the earth through good deeds, he conquers heaven.) On the reverse side, there’s a goddess (likely Lakshmi) seated, holding a Cornucopia in her left hand and a noose in her right.

The Battle Axe Type

Credits: Coin India

On the battle axe type coin, the king is shown standing either to the left or right, usually with a sword at his belt. His right-hand rests on his waist, while his left hand holds a battle axe (parasu). Next to him, on either side, is a dwarf attendant standing and looking up at him, with a crescent-topped banner between them. The inscription reads, “kritantaparasurjayatyajitarajajetajitah” (Wielding the axe of Kritanta (the god of death), the unconquered conqueror of unconquered kings is victorious.) On the reverse side, the goddess Lakshmi is seated on a throne, holding a noose in her right hand and either a Cornucopia or a lotus bud in her left, with her leg resting on a lotus.

The Asvamedha Type

Credits: Coin India

Historians consider the Ashvamedha type of Samudragupta one of the most beautiful Gupta coins. On this coin, you’ll see an unadorned horse, sometimes with a neck strap, standing to the left in front of a sacrificial post. The post is decorated with a pedestal, and a pennon flies above the horse from the top of the post. Below the horse is the letter “si,” and the circular inscription reads, “rajadhirajah prithivimavitva (or vijitya) divam jayatyahrita-vajimedhah” (The overlord of kings, who has performed the horse-sacrifice, having protected the earth, conquers heaven.) On the reverse side, the crowned queen Dattadevi stands to the left on a pearl-bordered circular mat. She holds a chouri (a ceremonial whisk) over her right shoulder in her right hand, with a towel hanging by her side in her left hand.

Tiger Slayer Type

Credits: Coin India

Another unique coin type created by Samudragupta’s artisans is the tiger-slayer type, designed to highlight the king’s martial skills. On this coin, the king stands to the right, wearing a turban, a short jacket, and a close-fitting dhoti. He tramples a tiger while attacking and shooting it with a bow. His left hand is pulling the bowstring to his ear, and a crescent-topped standard with a decorative filet is visible behind the tiger. The circular inscription reads “vyaghraparakramah,” which means “Having the prowess of a tiger.” On the reverse side, the goddess Ganga stands on a Makara (a mythical sea creature), holding a lotus in her left hand and with her right hand outstretched and empty. To the left, there is a crescent-topped banner with filets. The legend here is “raja Samudraguptah,” meaning “King Samudragupta.”

The Lyrist Type

Credits: Coin India

The Lyrist type of Samudragupta is a striking and distinctive coin. It depicts the king seated comfortably on a high-backed couch, playing a string instrument like a lyre or lute. This choice to showcase himself as a musician reflects his interests and the cultural values of the Gupta era. Samudragupta was indeed a noted patron of the arts and a talented musician and poet. On this coin, there’s a tamgha (a mark or emblem) in front of Lakshmi’s face. Beneath the couch is the inscription “si,” and the circular legend reads “maharajadhiraja sri Samudraguptah,” meaning “Samudragupta, overlord of kings.” On the reverse side, the goddess Lakshmi sits to the left on a stool, holding a noose in her right hand and a Cornucopia in her left.

Chandragupta II

Chandragupta II did not merely replicate his father’s coin designs but made several impressive changes. He retained the standard, archer, but transformed the tiger-slayer into the lion-slayer and replaced the lyrist type with the couch type. Furthermore, he abandoned the Ashvamedha and Kritantaparasu types. Chandragupta II introduced fresh designs such as the Chakravikrama, horseman, and chhatra. His coins often featured the title “Vikrama,” either on its own or combined with words like “ajita,” “simha,” or “chakra.” Later, Chandragupta II started minting silver coins to meet the demands of the newly acquired regions of Gujarat and Kathiawar. He based these on the Kshatrapa silver issues from western India. Chandragupta II also produced a variety of copper coins, including the chhatra, standing king, archer, bust, chakra, and vase types, showcasing considerable creativity.

Coinage and Numismatics: Post-Gupta Age

After the Gupta era, there was a noticeable decline in the quality of numismatic art. Coins became scarce between 900 A.D. and 1200 A.D. due to ongoing internal conflicts among medieval kings. This left their kingdoms fragmented and their treasuries depleted. As a result, inferior metals like nickel, copper, and lead replaced gold and silver for coinage.

Frequent coups and changes in succession led to the rapid minting and demonetization of dynastic coins. For instance, Rajput coins only featured martial motifs. Islamic prohibitions on idolatry meant that the coins of the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire usually only featured text, such as the king’s name and the date of issue. Aurangzeb had to debase his coins due to the weakening and land revenue decline in the Mughal Empire. This reduction in metal content and quality further diminished the aesthetic appeal and craftsmanship of the highest denomination coins. 

British-Indian coins were similarly monotonous. They featured only the denomination and year on one side and the king or queen’s portrait on the other. After independence, the Lion Capital of the Ashoka Pillar and other symbols of sovereignty and freedom replaced the king’s portrait.

The excellence of Gupta coinage remains unparalleled in Indian history. Therefore, the Gupta period was the “Golden Age” of classical India. This is due to the large number of gold coins circulated by various Gupta rulers, reflecting a flourishing economy.

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