Gupta Empire - gold dinar of Chandragupta II (c.375-415 AD), 'Horseman' type, Altekar Class II, var. A, S. Kumar Class II, var. A.3, 19.06mm; 7.78g. Obv: King riding caparisoned horse, cantering to right, bare-chested, wearing hair in large bun, dhoti, armbands, and jeweled necklace, waist-band flying behind him, horse with jeweled braided mane; Brahmi legend Paramabhagavato Maharajadhiraja Shri Chandraguptah from 2 o'clock along the margin. Rev: Goddess Lakshmi seated in profile, facing left, on a decorative wicker stool, holding a long stemmed lotus with root nodules at the base in her left hand and a diadem in her right hand; Brahmi legend Ajitavikramah in the right field, with a Tamgha in the left field; dotted border around.
An exceptional specimen with brilliant details, struck in high-relief with an incredibly attractive appearance.
Extremely fine, Extremely rare in this grade.
A standout coin that is certain to draw considerable interest from dedicated collectors of Gupta coinage.
The Horseman-type gold dinars are among Chandragupta II's notable innovations, as this design does not appear on the coinage of his predecessors. The obverse legend reads: “The great devotee of Vishnu, the Great King of Kings, His Highness Chandraguptah”, while the reverse bears the epithet Ajitavikramah, meaning “one who is unconquered and valorous.” Its iconography—showing the king riding a caparisoned horse - emphasizes royal valour, military strength, and sovereign authority. With Chandragupta II at the helm, the Gupta Empire reached its zenith. He continued his father Samudragupta's expansionist policies and undertook successful military campaigns, particularly the conquest of the Western Kshatrapas, which contributed significantly to the expansion of the Gupta Empire.
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