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BI Drachm - Anonymous
| Issuer | Vishnukundin Empire (Deccan Plateau) |
|---|---|
| Year | 420-624 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Stylized elephant depicted in profile facing right, adorned with traditional ceremonial ornaments, rendered in a schematic Deccan artistic style typical of the Vishnukundin period. The pachyderm's body is represented with bold, summary relief, with legs, tusks, and trappings suggested by simplified linear forms. The central device is contained within a pronounced dotted border circle, which in turn is surrounded by a plain raised rim on the irregularly shaped flan. |
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| Mintage | ND (420-624) |
| Additional information |
The Vishnukundins controlled the eastern Deccan following the fragmentation of Vakataka power, operating from their stronghold near the Krishna-Godavari delta region. Their coinage is among the least documented of any early medieval Indian dynasty — MSI#5127 sits in a reference corpus that itself remains incomplete, with attributions still contested between scholars working on South Indian epigraphy and numismatic sequences.
The billon composition reflects gradual silver debasement across the dynasty's two-century span, making die-linking the primary tool for internal chronology.