AR Drachm - Madasena

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Reverse description	Central field dominated by a tall, boldly rendered trident (trishula), a symbol of Shaivite religious significance, depicted with pronounced prongs and a long shaft. Surrounding the trident, a continuous Brahmi legend fills the field in a dense, circular arrangement, the characters large and stylized in the manner characteristic of early Maitraka coinage. The inscription, naming the issuing ruler, is rendered in raised relief against a smooth background. The overall composition is characteristic of the Maitraka silver drachm series, combining a Shaivite religious emblem with a dynastic epigraphic legend.
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Edge	Plain
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Additional information	The Maitrakas established themselves at Valabhi in Saurashtra following the collapse of Gupta imperial authority in the western provinces, and their coinage reflects that transitional moment — debased Gupta types reworked under a new regional power that would eventually become one of the most significant ruling houses in early medieval Gujarat. Madasena is among the earlier rulers in the dynastic sequence, placing these issues close to the dynasty's foundation period. Valabhi later became a noted center of Buddhist learning, its monasteries reportedly rivaling Nalanda.