Samudra Gupt : Archer type, Gold 7.7g. obv; King Samudragupta is shown facing to the left, facing the Garuda Bird - the sovereign symbol of the Gupta Empire. He holds the bow at the top with his left hand and an arrow in his right hand. The King is shown on this coin with either long flowing hair or the tails of the royal diedem wrapped around the head. A crescent is shown above the King's head. Under Kings left arm - Samudra. Circular legend at IX: ...tair divam jayati. rev; Goddess Lakshmi shown seated on a bench with a pillow with lathe carved legs. It is important to note that on this coin, the bench does not have a back. Most coins of this variety has a Bench with a high back. Goddess is holding a cornucopia in left hand and diadem in right hand. Apratirathah 'Matchless Chariot Warrior'.

Coins of the Archer Type of Samudragupta are very rare. They are frequently mistaken for the common Archer Type coins of Chandragupta II. From a study of their design, style, fabric - it's apparent that these coins were struck during the early stages of Gupta Empire while the mint masters were still trying to refine the styling and design. King Samudragupta is shown as a young man on all of the coins of this type (as compared to coins of the Lyrist type where he is shown as a older person). These coins were most definitely struck during the early stage of his campaign to conquer majority of the neighboring Kingdoms to unite them under a new unified Empire - the start of what was to finally become the magnificent Gupta Empire.

View Lot