[33] Or according to Mr. Panna Lal, “Dates of Skandagupta and His Successors,” _Hindustan Review_, January, 1918, in A.D. 467. The impression produced by the magnificent coinage of the Guptas upon the peoples of Northern India was undoubtedly as great as that created by the currency of their Kushāṇa predecessors; but, after the general devastation caused by the inroads of the Huns, few princes could have retained sufficient wealth in their treasuries to imitate it. It is significant then that the most notable imitations were the product of a mint, secured by its remoteness from the ruthless hand of the invader, in Central Bengal. These remarkable and not uncommon coins, with Śiva reclining on his bull Nandi on the obverse, and the goddess Lakshmī seated on a lotus on the reverse (Pl. V, 12), were struck by Śaśāṅka, king of Gauḍa (circ. 600-625), notorious as the assassinator of Harshavardhana’s elder brother, and a great “persecutor of Buddhism.” In Bengal, too, for many years after the passing of the Gupta Empire, were current flat gold pieces with crude reproductions of Gupta designs, and, with the exception of the word _Śrī_ on the obverse, completely illegible inscriptions. Another rather striking coin connected with the Gupta series, with a standing bull on the obverse, bears the name _Śrī Vīrasena_, but who Vīrasena was is at present unknown. A modification of the seated goddess motif was preserved on the gold coinage of certain mediæval Rājpūt kingdoms. KEY TO PLATE VII 1. Gold globule, with faint punch-mark on reverse. Wt. about 52 grs. 2. Padma-ṭaṅka. AV. Wt. 57 grs. Obv., eight-petalled lotus, surrounded by “Śaṅka” and two other symbols. Inscription in a form of Nāgarī. 3. Pāṇḍya. AV. Wt. 57 grs. Obv., two fishes under canopy; to right, lamp, to left, “chauri” (fly-whisk). Rev., undeciphered inscription. 4. Eastern Chālukya: Rājarāja. AV. Wt. 66·8 grs. Obv., in centre, boar to right; around, _Śrī Rājarāja Saṁvat 35_. 5. Koṅgudeśa. AV. Wt. 60·2 grs. Obv., ornate elephant to right. Rev., floral scroll design. 6. Choḷa. AR. Wt. 52 grs. Obv. and Rev., tiger seated under a canopy, behind it a bow, in front two fish, whole flanked by two fly-whisks. In Nāgarī, below, _Śrī Rājendraḥ_. 7. Ceylon: Parākrama Bāhu. Æ. Obv., standing king. Rev., seated goddess. In Nāgarī, _Śrī Parākramabāhu_. 8. Pallava or Chālukya (?). AR. Wt. 103·9 grs. Obv., lion to right. Rev., vase on stand, circle of rays. 9. Kerala. AR. Wt. 36·3 grs. Obv., undeciphered inscription. Rev., in Nāgarī, _Śrī Vīrakeralasya_. 10. Kalīkūt: Tīpū. AV. Fanam. Wt. about 5·2 grs. Obv., Persian “hē” (= Ḥaidar). Rev., in Persian, _Kalīkūt, 1199_.