Gupta Empire Kramaditya Skandagupta Fire Altar Type Silver Drachma Coin

Gupta Empire, Kramaditya Skandagupta, Reign: c. 455–467 CE, Denomination: Drachma, Composition: Silver, Weight: 1.66 grams, Diameter: 10.34 mm, Reference: Mitch AC# 4872, about very fine, rare.

Obverse: shows right-facing bust of King Skandagupta, bare-headed, sharp features, with a distinct dotted border visible near the neck.

Reverse: Fire altar with Brāhmī legend around.

Skandagupta, who ruled from circa 455 to 467 CE, is generally regarded as the last of the great Gupta emperors. His silver coinage continued the Western Kshatrap model, yet the bust style marks a clear departure from earlier hat-bearing Kshatrap portraits, reflecting a confident imperial identity. The reverse fire altar, accompanied by an elaborate Brāhmī legend proclaiming him Paramabhāgavata and Maharajadhiraja, emphasizes his Vaishnava devotion and supreme sovereignty.

His reign was dominated by military challenges, notably against the Pushyamitras and the invading Hunas (Indo-Hephthalites). Although Skandagupta successfully repelled these threats and preserved the empire’s frontiers, the prolonged wars severely strained imperial finances. As a result, silver issues of his later period, including this drachma, show signs of debasement, making them historically significant witnesses to the declining phase of Gupta power.