High quality silver drachm of Scandagupta (455-480 AD), Gupta Empire - scarce ea

Description

Formalized bust of King right, in Kshatrapa style, corrupt Greek inscription around / Parama Bhagavata Maharajadhiraja Sri Skandagupta Kramaditya ("Overlord of Kings, Skandagupta Kramaditya, great devotee of Vishnu") in Brahmi around Garuda (peacock with spread wings). 14mm, 2.17 grams. Mitchiner 4867.
Scarce early issue, rare this nice.
These coins were inspired by the coins of the Western Kshatrapas. The origins of the Guptas are shrouded in obscurity. The Chinese traveller I-tsing provides the first evidence of the Gupta kingdom in Magadha. He came to India in 672 CE and heard of 'Maharaja Sri-Gupta' who built a temple for Chinese pilgrims near Mrigasikhavana. I-tsing gives the date for this event merely as '500 years before'. This does not match with other sources and hence we can assume that I-tsing's computation was a mere guess. The most likely date for the reign of Sri-Gupta is c. 240-280 CE His successor Ghatotkacha ruled probably from c. 280-319 CE In contrast to his successor, he is also referred to in inscriptions as 'Maharaja' Chandragupta II was succeeded by his son Kumaragupta I. Known as the Mahendraditya, he ruled until 455 CE. It was during his reign that the Buddhagouda is thought to have originated. Towards the end of his reign a tribe in the Narmada valley, the Pushyamitras, rose in power to threaten the empire. Kumaragupta's successor Skandagupta defeated this threat, but then was faced with invading Huns from the north-west. The expense of the wars drained the regime and led to its decline.