Treasures of the Gupta Empire

A reference for history enthusiasts, scholars and collectors alike, this book offers a comprehensive guide to Gupta Dynasty numismatics. The 2nd edition sees all known Gupta coin issues documented, with updated classifications and notes on their rarity. A revised chronology is presented, using data from coins, inscriptions, seals and copper plates.

For over 2,000 years, coins have been a part of India’s history. But among them, the gold coins issued by the Gupta Dynasty from the 4th to the 6th centuries AD stand out for their stunning beauty and intricate designs. These coins, minted during the reigns of Chandragupta I in AD 319 through Vi??ugupta in AD 543, offer a unique glimpse into the evolution of the Gupta style and its influence on religious art during India’s Golden Age. By decoding the artistic designs, Brahmi legends, dates, and iconography on these coins, we can reconstruct the fascinating history of the dynasty. The first edition of this book has been widely accepted as an authoritative work, and become the standard reference for the Gupta dynasty coinage. In this second edition, the entire Gupta coinage has been documented, classification has been updated, and rarity of the coins has been identified. New findings based on latest research helps to provide a revised chronology using dates and data from coins, inscriptions, seals and copper plates. Since Dr. A. S. Altekar’s comprehensive catalogue in 1957, no one had attempted to document the entire series of Gupta Dynasty coinage. This new book now carries on with that endeavour. It features the entire corpus of the rarest coins, many of which are being published for the first time, sourced from major museum collections worldwide as well as private collections, including the prestigious Shivlee Collection. Designed as a guidebook for history enthusiasts, scholars, and collectors, Treasures of the Gupta Empire aims to deepen understanding of the Gupta Dynasty’s intricate history. It serves as a comprehensive reference on Gupta Dynasty numismatics. The depth of the research documented within will help scholars and researchers for decades to come.

Foreword to the Second Edition (K. K. Thaplyal)

Foreword to the First Edition (B. R. Mani)

Foreword to the First Edition (Joe Cribb)

Author’s Note to the Second Edition

Preface

Acknowledgements

Numismatic Terms

Maps

Part One: A Numismatic History of the Gupta Empire

1. The Gupta Dynasty

2. Evolution of the Design Elements of Gupta Coinage

3. The Question of a Standard vs. a Javelin vs. a Rājadaṇḍa

4. Historical Trade Routes Crisscrossing Ancient India

5. Inscriptions and Dates

6. Metrology of Gupta Era Coinage

Part Two: A Numismatic Catalogue of Gupta Era Coin Types

Classification System

Rarity

7. Śrīgupta

8. Ghaṭotkacha

9. Chandragupta I

10. Samudragupta I

11. Rāmagupta-Kāchagupta: The Forgotten King

12. Chandragupta II

13. Kumāragupta I

14. Purugupta: Succession after Kumāragupta I

15. Ghaṭotkachagupta

16. Skandagupta

17. Gupta Kings after Skandagupta

18. Later Kings of Māgadha and Bengal

Appendices

Appendix I: Tamghās: Monograms or Guild Symbols

Appendix II: List of Brāhmī Letters and Numbers

Appendix III: List of Brāhmī Legends

Abbreviations

Bibliography

Index

• By (author) Sanjeev Kumar

"Sanjeev Kumar's Treasures of the Gupta Empire is the first attempt at a comprehensive type catalogue of Gupta coins for fifty years. Implicitly, it is a replacement for Allan and Altekar both in content (with a lot of new material in the last half century) and in terms of organization (also supported by a great deal of new scholarship). As a comprehensive reference on the gold coinage of the Guptas it is no doubt a huge contribution ... The enlarged images, relative ease of use, and comprehensive nature, will likely ensure the volume supplants any of its predecessors as the catalogue of choice ... [Overall], this is a volume that I would recommend as a standard reference to anyone with an interest in Gupta coinage." Robert Bracey (2017) Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society
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