Lot 1106 – Gupta Empire, Samudragupta, c. 335-375, AV dinar 7.36 g. Horse

Gupta Empire, Samudragupta, c. 335-375, AV dinar 7.36 g. (20 mm). Obverse: Asvamedha (horse sacrifice) type; sacrificial horse standing left on podium with crescent above the back, yupa (sacrificial post) in front, Brahmi legend around beginning at 11 o’clock and si below horse. Reverse: Rajya Lakshmi standing left on a lotus beside a standard, holding towel or diadem in left hand, and fly whisk in right, Brahmi legend at right; asvamedhaparakramah (‘with the bold advance of one (powerful enough to perform) an Asvamedha‘), dotted border around. Kumar, TOTGE 2024, class I, variety A. Raven, SG/group 3.

This rare variant was struck to commemorate the ordering of Samudragupta of the holy Vedic ceremony of Asvamedha, the horse sacrifice. According to Kumar, TOTGE 2024, 149 examples are believed to exist of the Asvamedha coin today. This specific variety has a crescent above the back of the horse.

About VF details, flan flaw above the horse that has an equivalent on the reverse.

Ex Chand Collection British Museum no 3.1.29.