Gupta Empire - gold dinar of Chandragupta II (c.375-415 AD),
'Lion Slayer' type, Altekar Class I (lion combatant), Var. A;
S. Kumar Class III, variety B.3.5 (RRR), struck from the same dies as S. Kumar Coin no. 493, preserved in the British Museum, 19.40mm; 7.75g. Obv: King wearing moustache, ornate crown, dhoti and a sash tied at the waist, with large earring, turned to left with one leg flexed upwards at the knee, drawing the bow and firing an arrow at the lion falling backwards to the left; Brahmi legend Narendrachandrah Prathitarano (rane jayatyajayyo bhuvi simhavikramah) from 1 o'clock along the margin. Rev: Nimbate Goddess Lakshmi, seated in a Vamardhaparyankasana posture (with one leg folded and the other drawn up), facing front on lion reclining to left; holding a long-stemmed lotus in one hand and a noose in the other; Brahmi legend Simhavikramah to right and tamgha in the left field.
A beautifully preserved specimen, Nearly Extremely fine, Extremely rare.
This magnificent “Lion-Slayer” (Simha-vikrama) type is one of the most iconic and symbolically powerful issues of the Gupta gold coinage. The obverse legend reads as, “The moon among the kings, who is famous for his warfare, who is invincible, and who is valorous like a lion, is victorious on the battlefield”, while the reverse bears the epithet Simhavikramah, meaning “Valorous as a Lion” highlighting the king's exceptional courage, bravery and martial excellence. 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. According to S. Kumar, The Lion-Slayer type coins of Chandra Gupta II are seldom encountered, with only about 262 coins documented so far.
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