Antike AR drachm 407-451 n. Chr. Rare Madhyadesha of Kumaragupta (407-451 CE), Gupta Empire, India

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Formalized bust of King right, in Kshatrapa style, date mostly off-flan, corrupt Greek inscription around / Vijitāvaniravanipati(ḥ) Kumāragupto(’yaṃ) divaṃ jayati (“Kumāragupta, having conquered the earth, wins the heavens”) in Brahmi around a facing peacock. 16mm, 2.17 grams. Todd/Fishman "The Silver Coinage of the Gupta Empire and Associated States in Western India" #G33.x (rated R).

The Madhyadesha coins of Kumaragupta remain very rare - the recent hoard of Madhyadesha coins contained exclusively coins of Skandagupta, so Madhyadesha coins of Kumaragupta remain very rare and difficult to find. An extensive study of Madhyadesha coins was undertaken in Todd/Fishman "The Silver Coinage of the Gupta Empire and Associated States in Western India" (2025). Coins with a full readable date on the obverse are still very rare.

The rare Madhyadeśa silver coins of the Gupta Empire, particularly those issued under Kumaragupta I and Skandagupta in the 5th century CE, represent a distinctive regional coinage in northern India’s heartland. These coins typically followed the heavy weigh standard of around 2.4 grams (not the 2.1 gram standard of the silver Gupta coinage of the Western Provinces), rather than the gold standard associated with imperial Gupta issues. Unlike the refined artistry of Gupta gold coins, these silver pieces were local issues, likely minted for regional circulation in areas such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (the traditional Madhyadeśa or “Middle Country”). They reflect both the monetary decentralization during the later Gupta period and the empire's attempts to adapt to local economic and administrative needs. These coins are important for understanding the economic geography of the Gupta Empire and the persistence of pre-Gupta numismatic traditions in regional contexts.