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Session Six - Tuesday, February 14th 6:00pm PST
I
MPORTANT
G
UPTA
G
OLD
D
INAR OF
K
UMARAGUPTA
I,
CA
. AD 414-455
Enlargement
2397 Gupta. Kumaragupta I. Gold Dinar (8.20 g), ca. AD 414-455
. Lion-slayer type. King, nimbate, standing facing and drawing bow to shoot
lion at right.
Reverse:
The goddess Lakshmi, nimbate, seated facing on recumbent lion right, holding lotus and fillet; in upper left field, tamgha.
Altekar pl. XII, 8; Bayana 1773; BMC 235.
Very Rare.
Delicately toned.
Superb Extremely Fine
.
Estimate Value ........................................................................................................................................................................... $5,000 - UP
The Hanbery Collection.
Kumaragupta I appears on the obverse slaying a lion as a sign of his personal bravery and military prowess, both of which were needed to retain
the kingship. Although this coin was struck in the fifth century AD, the image of the king as archer slaying the lion was already very old indeed.
Persian kings appeared on coins of the fifth century BC hunting lions in similar fashion, and the image can be traced back even further in the dec-
orative arts.The reverse depicts a goddess who appears to take on aspects of two Hindu goddesses, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosper-
ity, and Durga ("the Invincible One"), a warrior goddess. The fillet and lotus that she holds associate the figure with Lakshmi, who was variously
known as "the Lotus Dweller," "Holder of the Lotus," etc. However, Lakshmiís traditional
vahana
(animal-vehicle) was an elephant or an owl, while
that of Durga was the lion. According to Hindu tradition, Durga came into being during the struggle of the gods (Devas) against the monstrous
Mahishasura and his army of demons (Asuras). When initially defeated, Vishnu and his fellow deities were so enraged that their faces blazed with
light. This divine light coalesced into the form of a woman and became Durga, who rode into battle on the back of a lion. After a great struggle in
which Mahishasura turned himself into a water buffalo and an elephant, Durga killed him and the gods were again able to take up their abode in
the heavens. The apparent conflation of Lakshmi and Durga here may be explained by the desire to present the king as having divine favor in
bringing prosperity to his kingdom and in destroying its enemies. Combining these two goddesses would not have been problematic since in Hindu
theology they were considered to be two elements of the Tridevi, a divine triad that also included Saraswati, a goddess of wisdom and the arts.
Enlargement
2398
Western Gangas, Talakad. Gold Gajapati Pagoda (3.81
g), ca. 1080-1138
. Caparisoned elephant standing right;
below, branch.
Reverse:
Floral scroll. Mitchiner I 192; MNI 702.
Toned.
Extremely Fine
.
Estimate Value ......................................................$300 - 350
From the Hanbery Collection; Purchased from Stephen M. Hous-
ton of San Francisco.
2399
Iran. Pahlavi, SH1325 (1946)
. Fr-101; KM-1150. Weight
0.2354 ounce. Muhammad Reza Pahlavi Shah.
NGC graded
MS-64
.
Estimate Value ......................................................$300 - 325
2400
Iran. ½ Pahlavi, AH1328 (1949)
. Fr-102; KM-1149. Weight
0.1177 ounce. Muhammad Reza Pahlavi Shah.
NGC graded
MS-64.
WINGS APPROVED
.
Estimate Value ......................................................$150 - 175
2401
Iran. 5 Pahlavi, SH1340 (1961)
. Fr-99; KM-1164. Weight
1.1771 ounces. Muhammad Reza Pahlavi Shah, 1941-1979.
NGC graded MS-65.
WINGS APPROVED
.
Estimate Value ................................................ $1,400 - 1,600
2402
Iran. 500 Rials, 1971
. Fr-109; KM-1189. Weight 0.1884
ounce. For the 2500th Anniversary of persian Empire. Wiged
griffin with ram antiers.
NGC graded Proof 69 Ultra Cameo
.
Estimate Value ......................................................$250 - 275
2403
Isle of Man. Sovereign, 1977
. KM-27. Weight 0.2347 ounce.
Elizabeth II.
Reverse
; Armored equestrian.
Brilliant Uncircu-
lated
.
Estimate Value ......................................................$240 - 260