Lot 1237 – Gupta Empire, Narasimhagupta, c. 495-530, AV dinar, 10.42 g. Archer

Gupta Empire, Narasimhagupta, c. 495-530, AV dinar, 10.42 g. (20 mm). Obverse: ‘archer’ type; king with flat, stacked curls and flat face wearing tailed tunic over pleated loin cloth, standing left, holding arrow in right hand, left hand holding bow at top; behind to left, sturdy Garuda standard; gre or gu in Brahmi between feet; Nara in Brahmi below king’s arm. Reverse: Lakshmi seated facing with legs flat on lotus seat, holding diadem and long-stemmed lotus left, tamgha to left, Brahmi legend to right valadityah. Kumar attributes this coin to Narasimhagupta II. Raven, NSG/group 3.

A Narasimhagupta II archer type, of which, according to Kumar, TOTGE 2024, 56 examples have been recorded. The very high weight of 10.42 g. must be one of the highest for this type and indeed for the full range of Gupta coin issues (Kumar notes that weight for this issue range from 9.20 to 10.41 g.).

VF-EF, lustrous surfaces, some cleaning, struck with rusty dies, some file marks on the edge of an impressive thick flan.

Ex Chand Collection.