Lot 10151 – Gupta Empire, Kumaragupta, c. 415-455, swordsman, AV dinar, 8.06 g.

Gupta Empire, Kumaragupta, c. 415-455, AV dinar, 8.06 g. (20 mm). Obverse: ‘swordsman’ type, king standing left, holding sword hilt in left hand and making an offering with right. Garuda standard at left, Brahmi legend Ku in right field. Reverse: Lakshmi without halo sitting facing on seven-petaled lotus, holding long-stemmed lotus flower and diadem, tamgha upper left, Brahmi legend right, Sri Kumaragupta, dotted border around. Probably Kumar, TOTGE 2024 variety A2.

About EF, slight weakness from the strike, lustrous surfaces, small die cracks on the edge.

A fine example of the swordsman type, a coin type that was struck only during the reign of Kumaragupta. An extremely rare type, with only one other similar coin found on Coinarchives (sold by CNG, Triton VI, 2003, lot 547). Kumar, Treasures, notes that 23 coins are known, with only 6 examples in private collections, p. 403.

Ex Chand Collection 2.2.19