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4½ Masaka - Govinda Chandra Deva Gahadavals of Kanauj
| Issuer | Gahadavala Dynasty of Kanauj |
|---|---|
| Year | 1114-1154 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Rajgor#145, Fr#213 |
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| Reverse description | Three-line inscription in Devanagari script filling the entire reverse field, executed in the bold, angular style characteristic of Gahadavala gold coinage of the early 12th century. The legend reads Sri Govinda Chandra Deva, identifying the issuing ruler. The characters are arranged across the flan with little margin, and small pellets serve as word separators or decorative punctuation. The script shows the distinctive heavy headstrokes of the period, and the irregular flan edge is consistent with hammered production. |
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| Reverse lettering | श्रीम गोबीन्द चद्र देव (Sri Govind chandra deva) |
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| Additional information |
Govinda Chandra ruled the Gahadavala kingdom at its territorial peak, controlling the middle Gangetic plain from Varanasi to Allahabad and issuing an unusually prolific gold coinage by north Indian medieval standards. His reign saw a deliberate policy of re-monetizing the region following Ghaznavid disruptions — the volume of surviving gold issues from his court dwarfs that of any contemporary Indian dynasty.
The 4½ Masaka denomination is specific to Gahadavala metrological practice, subdividing the traditional suvarna in a way that reflects local mercantile conventions rather than pan-regional standards.