Gupta Empire – Mahendraditya Kumaragupta I 415-455 CE Silver 1 Drachm Western Province Issue

Gupta Empire, Mahendraditya Kumaragupta I, Reign: 415–455 CE, Denomination: 1 Drachm, Metal: Silver, Weight: 1.82 grams, Diameter: 13 mm, Type: Western Province Issue, Reference: Numista #58367, About Very Fine, Scarce.

Obverse: Head of King Kumaragupta I facing right, depicted in a refined portrait style characteristic of the silver coinage issued in the western provinces of the Gupta Empire.

Reverse: Stylized peacock standing facing with wings spread, surrounded by a Brahmi legend reading “Paramabhāgavata Maharajadhiraja Sri Kumaragupta Mahendraditya.”

Emperor Kumaragupta I, one of the most prominent rulers of the Gupta Empire, succeeded Chandragupta II and presided over a period of continued imperial prosperity and cultural development. His silver coinage from the western provinces demonstrates the Gupta adaptation of earlier Western Kshatrapa monetary traditions while introducing distinctly Gupta royal legends and religious imagery. The peacock type is particularly characteristic of Kumaragupta I’s coinage and reflects the elaborate artistic vocabulary employed by the Gupta minting authorities. These issues provide valuable evidence for the continued importance of silver currency in western India during the fifth century CE.

Coinage Note: The silver Drachm of Kumaragupta I represents the Western Province issue of Gupta silver coinage and combines a right-facing royal portrait with a distinctive peacock reverse. The extensive Brahmi legend proclaiming Kumaragupta as “Maharajadhiraja” and “Mahendraditya,” together with the attractive design and relatively small flan, makes this an important and collectible example of Gupta imperial coinage. The type is recorded as Numista #58367.