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Auction: 23109 - Spink Numismatic e-Circular 29: Indian and Islamic Coins Featuring 'A Gentleman's Collection of Sri Lankan Coins' Part II - e-Auction
Lot: 8174

(x) Ancient India, Post-Gupta Bengal, Samatata region, "Gopa" (c.600- 625), gold Dinar, 5.69g, kingly figure standing left holding a bow right and an arrow left, a standard topped by an ankus (elephant goad) in left field, Brahmi letters to right of this and below in right field, tentatively read as go pa, below this a small figure of a horse standing left, rev. stylized female figure wearing cloak standing right, pseudo legend in right field (Group C2, N. Rhodes (ed. W. Bertsch), "The Coinage of Samatata", JONS 228, Summer 2016, pp.9-15), toned about uncirculated, as struck, very rare

After the fall of the Gupta Empire in the 6th century, the history of Bengal is unclear. It is only relatively recently that gold coins of this type have been found in south eastern Bengal, in the area covered by ancient Samatata. Their design is clearly derived from that of the Guptas (or earlier Kushans), with a standing kingly figure on the obverse and a deity or goddess on the reverse. Some of them bear legends in the right field of the obverse that may shed light on the early history of Samatata. In the case of this coin the name "Gopa " may refer to the local king Gopaladeva, who is mentioned on a copper plate inscription.
The horse symbol, when found on coins of the Guptas, referred to the Asvamedha (horse sacrifice), that was undertaken at the start of a new ruler's reign. An alternative proposition is that the trade in horses from Tibet may have provided a source of wealth for the rulers of Samatata.

The references in this listing are taken from a posthumous paper by Nicholas Rhodes, "The Coinage of Samatata" edited by Wolfgang Bertsch, published in the Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society #228, Summer 2016 https://www.orientalnumismaticsociety.org/archive/ONS_228.pdf#page=15


Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£1,000 to £1,300

Starting price
£900