i n d i a



r e f e r e n c e s



| page 1 | page 2 | page 3 | page 4 | page 5 |



The Ganges Valley and adjacent regions
during the Kushan and post-Kushan periods

Yaudheyas of Punjab


Civic Coinage (300 - 340 AD)
AE Tetradrachm (Early series, division 2)
Mitchiner ACW 4711 - 4715
25 mm.
10.62 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Karttikeya standind facing, holding sceptre; peacock on right. In Brahmi:'Yaudheya Ganasya Jaya' (Victory to the Yaudheya people).
Reverse: Goddess standing with hand on hip, wearing transparent garment; lotus and nandipana symbol in field.


Civic Coinage (300 - 340 AD)
AE Tetradrachm (Late series, division 1)
Mitchiner ACW 4719 - 4721
22 mm.
10.30 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Karttikeya standind facing, holding sceptre; peacock on right. In Brahmi:'Yaudheya Ganasya Jaya' (Victory to the Yaudheya people).
Reverse: Goddess standing with hand on hip, wearing transparent garment.

Nagas of Narwar


Ganapati Naga (circa 340 AD)
AE Unit
Mitchiner ACW 4739 - 4750
8 mm.
0.67 gm.
Die position=n/a
Obverse: Humped bull standing left.
Reverse: In Brahmi:'Maharaja Sri Ganendra'.


Ganapati Naga (circa 340 AD)
AE Unit
Mitchiner ACW 4739 - 4750
7 mm.
0.18 gm.
Die position=n/a
Obverse: Humped bull standing left.
Reverse: In Brahmi:'Maharaja Sri Ganendra'.


The Gupta Empire and its successors

Gupta Empire


Samudragupta (circa 335 - 380 AD)
AV Stater
Mitchiner ACW 4780
20 mm.
7.50 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King standing left, holding long sceptre in left hand, right hand lowered to an altar; Garuda standard to left. In Brahmi:'Samudra' in right field; and partial marginal legend.
Reverse: Goddess Lakshmi enthroned facing, holding cornucopia; symbol to left. In Brahmi:'Parakramah' to right.


Kumaragupta I (414 - 455 AD)
AR Drachm (Western provinces Garuda type)
Mitchiner ACW 4845 - 4854
11 mm.
2.03 gm.
Die position=6h
Obverse: Bust of king, right.
Reverse: Formalized Garuda standing facing with spread wings. In Brahmi:'Parama-bhagavata rajahiraja Sri Kumaragupta Mahendraditya'.


Skandagupta (455 -480 AD)
AR Drachm (Western provinces Bull type)
Mitchiner ACW 4879 - 4882
12 mm.
1.82 gm.
Die position=3h
Obverse: Bust of king, right.
Reverse: Humped bull seated right. In Brahmi:'Parama-bhagavata Sri Skandagupta Kramaditya'.

Successor states in Saurashtra and the west

Kingdom of the Maitrakas of Valabhi

Anonymous (470 - 800 AD)
Billon Drachm (Later issues)
Mitchiner ACW 4897 - 4898
11 mm.
1.95 gm.
Die position=7h
Obverse: Bust of king, right.
Reverse: Trident with curved prongs and side-arm. Corrupt Brahmi legend.

Successor states in Malwa

Bundelkhand and Bagelkhand

Central and Eastern provinces

West Central provinces

Vardhanas (Pushyabhutis)

Siladitya, Harshavardhana (606 - 647 AD)
AR Drachm
Mitchiner ACW 4933 - 4937
14 mm.
2.25 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust of king, left.
Reverse: Formalized Garuda standing facing with spread wings. In Brahmi:'Vijitavanir-avanapati Sri Siladitya divam jayati'.

This is a coin of the famous king Harsha, whom the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, Xuanzang, met in 642.

Gurjura Kingdom of Sindh


Anonymous (circa 570 - 700 AD)
AR Drachm
Mitchiner NIS 215v.
22 mm.
3.73 gm.
Die position=3h
Obverse: Stylized Sasanian-like bust, right.
Reverse: Stylized fire altar.


Anonymous (circa 570 - 700 AD)
AR Drachm
Mitchiner NIS 216v.
22 mm.
3.63 gm.
Die position=3h
Obverse: Stylized Sasanian-like bust, right.
Reverse: Stylized fire altar.


Anonymous (circa 570 - 700 AD)
AR Drachm
Mitchiner NIS 217v.
22 mm.
3.69 gm.
Die position=8h
Obverse: Stylized Sasanian-like bust, right.
Reverse: Stylized fire altar.


Anonymous (circa 570 - 700 AD)
AR Drachm
Mitchiner NIS 217v.
22 mm.
3.90 gm.
Die position=4h
Obverse: Stylized Sasanian-like bust, right.
Reverse: Stylized fire altar.


Anonymous (circa 570 - 700 AD)
AR Drachm
Mitchiner NIS 218v.
22 mm.
4.12 gm.
Die position=7h
Obverse: Stylized Sasanian-like bust, right.
Reverse: Stylized fire altar.

The coins listed above are sometimes referred to as Indo-Sasanian or Hephthalite coins.

Imperial Pratiharas


Anonymous (circa 780 - 980 AD)
AR Drachm
Mitchiner NIS 364v.
20 mm.
3.97 gm.
Die position=10h
Obverse: Stylized Sasanian-like bust, right. Brahmi Sri DaMa (?)
Reverse: Stylized fire altar.




g o  t o  p a g e  4




b a c k  t o  a n c i e n t  c o i n s