Gupta Empire, Samudra Gupta (350-375 AD), Gold Dinar, 'Kacha' type, Altekar var. A, 7.40g.
Obv: Nimbate king, wearing tunic, standing holding a 'Chakra' standard with ribbons attached to it, offering sacrifice at an altar; Brahmi legend Kacha under the king's arm holding the standard, traces of Brahmi legend Kacha Gamawajitya Dya?... mabhiruttamairjaya … around, reading from right.
Rev: Nimbate goddess, standing holding cornucopia and lotus; Brahmi legend Sarvarajochhettah to right and a Tamgha in the left field.
Extremely Fine, Extremely Rare.
Although the coin generally fits into the Altekar classification as 'Variety A', its execution is very similar to the coin he illustrates as 'Variety B' (PL. IV, 5) where a Garuda banner is present on the obverse. A coin with Altekar's 'B' obverse, but a reverse similar to the coin above was offered at Baldwin's Auctions Ltd, Hong Kong Coin Auction 46 Lot No.: 1066 sold for $8,000. It is therefore possible to see this coin at the beginning of this sequence between Altekar var. A and var. B, with the Baldwin coin placed just after. The execution of motifs is of the 'slender' sort, is a feature very rare in the coin of the 'Kacha' type and it is shared by all three coins – the two coins of var. B in Altekar and Baldwin, and this coin of var. A.
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