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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Asian Coins| ▸ |Kushan Empire||View Options:  |  |  | 

Coins of the Kushan Empire, 30 - 375 A.D.

The Kushans descended from the Guishuang branch of the nomadic Yueh-Chi tribe. The Kushans first ruled in Bactria. They gradually expanded until, at the height of the Empire, the Kushans loosely ruled a territory that extended north to the Aral Sea through present-day Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, south into northern India, and east as far as Kashgar, Khotan and Yarkant, in the Tarim Basin of modern-day Xinjiang, China. A direct road from Gandhara to China remained under Kushan control for more than a century. The loose unity and comparative peace of such a vast expanse encouraged long-distance trade, brought Chinese silks to Rome, and created flourishing urban centers. The Kushan dynasty had diplomatic contacts with the Roman Empire, Sasanian Persia, the Aksumite Empire and Han Dynasty of China. While much philosophy, art, and science was created within its borders, the only textual record of the empire's history today comes from inscriptions and accounts in other languages, particularly Chinese. In the 3rd century, the Kushan empire fragmented into semi-independent kingdoms which fell to the Sasanians invading from the west. In the 4th century, the Guptas, an Indian dynasty also pressed from the east. The last of the Kushan and Kushano-Sasanian kingdoms were eventually overwhelmed by invaders from the north, known as the Kidarites, and then the Hepthalites.Map of the Kushan Empire

Kushan Empire, Shaka, c. 305 - 335 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Shaka,| |c.| |305| |-| |335| |A.D.||dinara|
The list of Kushan rulers and their dates of reign is constantly under review. This coin has a Brahmi inscription "Shaka" in the right field, in the same place where Vasudeva II's coins read "Vasu." It is natural to suppose that perhaps Shaka was the name of the king who issued the coin. There is a mention of one "Devaputra Shahi Shahanshahi Shaka Murunda" in Samudragupta's famous Allahabad inscription, as one of the rulers who paid him homage. In this context, Shaka could be a title, it could refer to a tribe, or it could be a personal name. Robert Göbl did not think Shaka was the name of a ruler; rather, he thought the coins were tribal issues, but Michael Mitchiner and the authors of ANS Kushan think Shaka was a king.
SH09060. Gold dinara, Mitchiner ACW 3570, Göbl Kushan 591, ANS Kushan 1670 var. (Brahmi inscriptions), aEF, weight 7.740 g, maximum diameter 18.8 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain mint, c. 305 - 335 A.D.; obverse Shaka standing facing, head left wearing nimbus, diadem and conical hat, sacrificing over altar from right hand, filleted staff in left hand, filleted trident to left, Brahmi inscriptions: nothing beside altar, bhri under left arm, Shaka right; reverse goddess Ardoxsho enthroned facing, nimbate, diadem in right hand with ladder like ribbon, cradling cornucopia in left arm, tamgha upper left, blundered Bactrian inscription (mostly off flan as usual); SOLD


Kushan Empire, Kipunadha, c. 335 - 350 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Kipunadha,| |c.| |335| |-| |350| |A.D.||denara|
Kipunada was probably the last ruler of the Kushan Empire around 335-350. The beginning of his rule coincides with the invasion of the Sasanians as far as northwestern India. Kipunada was probably only a local ruler in the area of Taxila, in western Punjab.

Ardoxsho is the Iranic goddess of wealth. Analogies have been drawn with the Buddhism deity Hariti, Persian goddess Anahita, the Greek Tyche, the Roman Fortuna and the Hindu Shri.
WA110114. Debased gold denara, ANS Kushan 1683 - 1687, Mitchiner ACW 3591, Göbl Kushan 596, aVF, highly debased, tight flan, weight 7.508 g, maximum diameter 18.6 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain mint, c. 335 - 350 A.D.; obverse Kipunadha standing facing, head left wearing nimbus, diadem and conical hat, sacrificing over altar from right hand, trident in raised left hand, filleted trident to left, Brahmi inscriptions, KiPaNaDa right; reverse goddess Ardoxsho enthroned facing, nimbate, voluminous robe and long scarf, diadem wreath in extended right hand, cornucopia cradled in left arm; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Huvishka, c. 152 - 192 A.D., Unofficial Imitative

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Huvishka,| |c.| |152| |-| |192| |A.D.,| |Unofficial| |Imitative||tetradrachm|
Prior to Huvishka's reign, much of the Kushan Empire had been ruled by subordinate rulers, ksatraps. The ksatraps, which had maintained significant autonomy, vanished from records during his reign. Huvishka patronized both Buddhist and Brahmin institutions.
WA65865. Bronze tetradrachm, Mitchiner ACW 3289-3290, Göbl Kushan 863 - 865, VF, weight 6.789 g, maximum diameter 25.7 mm, die axis 45o, Unofficial mint, c. 152 - 192 A.D.; obverse Huvishka on elephant right, scepter in right, goad in left, blundered Kharosthi legend; reverse Pharro (God who bestows royal glory) standing facing, nimbate, head left, diadem in right hand, spear vertical in left, tamgha in left field, blundered Greek inscription; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Huvishka, c. 151 - 190 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Huvishka,| |c.| |151| |-| |190| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Huvishka was the son of Kanishka. Huvishka was the emperor of the Kushan Empire from the death of Kanishka (assumed on the best evidence available to be in 140 CE) until the succession of Vasudeva I about forty years later. His rule was a period of retrenchment and consolidation for the Empire. His reign is known as the golden age of Kushan rule.
WA87817. Bronze tetradrachm, ANS Kushan 848, Göbl Kushan 849, Mitchiner ACW 3221, aF/VF, brown tone, bumps and scratches, corrosion, weight 14.113 g, maximum diameter 25.0 mm, die axis 0o, Kapisha main mint, probably Begram mint, c. 151 - 190 A.D.; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAONANOþAO OOHþKE KOþANO (King of Kings Huvishka Kushan), king mounted on elephant walking right, wearing tall round headdress, diadem with long ribbons, tunic over trousers, long transverse scepter in right hand, elephant goad in in left hand; reverse god Oesho (resembles Shiva) standing facing, four-arms, nimbate head left, hair in a topknot; holding attributes: diadem, thunderbolt, trident and water pot; tamgha lower left, Bactrian legend OHþO downward on right; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex Moneta (Missouri Numismatic Society Bourse, 2015); rare; SOLD


Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins, The American Numismatic Society

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan,| |Kushano-Sasanian,| |and| |Kidarite| |Coins,| |The| |American| |Numismatic| |Society|
A catalogue of coins from the American Numismatic Society, intended to be a tool for the scholars and collectors, for understanding, identifying and attributing these coins.
BK22659. Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins, The American Numismatic Society by David Jongeward and Joe Cribb with Peter Donovan, hardcover, 322 pages, 79 color plates, over 2400 coins, like new condition, very light shelf wear, international shipping at actual cost of shipping ; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Kanishka I the Great, c. 127 - 150 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Kanishka| |I| |the| |Great,| |c.| |127| |-| |150| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
According to the Rabatak inscription, Kanishka I the Great was the son of Vima Kadphises, the grandson of Sadashkana, and the great-grandson of Kujula Kadphises. Kanishka ruled a huge territory, nearly all of northern India, south to Ujjain and Kundina and east beyond Pataliputra. His territory was administered from two capitals: Purushapura (now Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan) and Mathura, in northern India. The Kushans also had a summer capital in Bagram (then known as Kapisa), where the "Begram Treasure," comprising works of art from Greece to China, was found. He is also credited (along with Raja Dab) for building the massive fort, Qila Mubarak, in the modern city of Bathinda in Indian Punjab. Kanishka's conquests and patronage of Buddhism played an important role in the development of the Silk Road, and in the transmission of Mahayana Buddhism from Gandhara across the Karakoram range to China. Kanishka's reign began a calendar era used by the Kushans for about a century, until the decline of the realm.
WA87811. Bronze tetradrachm, ANS Kushan 520, Mitchiner ACW 3079, Göbl Kushan 774, VF, well centered, dark brown tone, some porosity, weight 17.143 g, maximum diameter 27.0 mm, die axis 0o, Kapisha main mint, probably Begram mint, c. 127 - 150 A.D.; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAO KANHþKI (King Kanishka), king standing facing, with a long beard, nimbate, diademed, wearing a pointed brimmed cap, knee length tunic, trousers and boots, sword in sheath on belt, sacrificing over altar left from right hand, vertical spear in left hand; reverse lunar god Mao standing half left, head left, wearing diadem with two long ties, crescent emerging from shoulders forming halo, wearing long cloak over shoulders clasped at chest over ankle length tunic, raising right hand in blessing, left hand resting on hilt of sword in sheath on belt, tamgha left, Bactrian legend right MAO downward on right; from the Robert| L3 Collection; SOLD


Kushano-Sasanian, Ardashir I Kushanshah, c. 230 - 250 A.D.

|Sasanian| |Empire|, |Kushano-Sasanian,| |Ardashir| |I| |Kushanshah,| |c.| |230| |-| |250| |A.D.||drachm|
Soon after he overthrew the Parthians, c. 230 A.D., the Sasanian king Ardashir I invaded Bactria. He and his son Shapur I, seized the Kushans' western provinces in Bactria and Gandhara and put them under the rule of Sasanian nobles called Kushanshahs. About 325, Shapur II took direct control of the south. In the north, Kushanshah governors ruled for about another 85 years, until Bactria was overrun by the Hephthalites.
WA40138. Bronze drachm, ANS Kushan 2145 - 2146, Mitchiner ACW 1264; Göbl Kushan 1028, aEF, some strike weakness, weight 2.810 g, maximum diameter 19.1 mm, die axis 135o, obverse Pahlavi legend: Mazda-worshipping Ardashir, great Kushan king, crowned bust right, wears a crenelated crown, flattened hair bun above, two diadem ends and three rows of curls behind, dotted beard, control mark in right field; reverse Pahlavi legend: Lady Anahita, goddess Anahita seated facing within a domed and pillared sanctuary, wearing crown and diadem with ribbons left and right, knees apart, diadem with ladder-like ribbons in right hand, scepter in left hand; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Kanishka I the Great, c. 127 - 150 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Kanishka| |I| |the| |Great,| |c.| |127| |-| |150| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
The Kushan territories encompassed the Iranian-language speaking regions of Sogdiana, Ferghana, Bactria, Arachosia, Gandhara, and Taxila, and the conquered Indian territory of Mathura. These provinces lie in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and northwestern Pakistan.
WA87808. Bronze tetradrachm, ANS Kushan 553 - 560, Göbl Kushan 781, Mitchiner ACW 3095, aVF, brown tone, well centered, scattered porosity, scratches, weight 16.931 g, maximum diameter 27.6 mm, die axis 0o, Kapisha main mint, probably Begram mint, c. 128 - 150 A.D.; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAO KANHþKI (King Kanishka), king standing facing, long beard, nimbate, diademed, wearing a round brimmed cap, knee length tunic, trousers and boots, sword in sheath on belt, sacrificing over altar left from right hand, vertical spear in left hand; reverse god Oesho (resembles Shiva) standing facing, four-arms, nimbate head left, hair in a topknot; holding attributes: diadem, thunderbolt, trident and water pot; tamgha left, Bactrian legend OHþO on right; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex Tyche Numismatics; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Kanishka I the Great, c. 127 - 150 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Kanishka| |I| |the| |Great,| |c.| |127| |-| |150| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Kanishka's conquests and patronage of Buddhism played an important role in the development of the Silk Road, and in the transmission of Mahayana Buddhism from Gandhara across the Karakoram range to China.
WA87809. Bronze tetradrachm, Mitchiner ACW 3114 (same rear leg var.), ANS Kushan 579 ff., Göbl Kushan 783, Donum Burns 167 ff., F/VF, some marks, some porosity, reverse slightly off center, weight 16.966 g, maximum diameter 25.6 mm, die axis 0o, Kapisha main mint, probably Begram mint, middle phase, c. 128 - 150 A.D.; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAO KANHþKI (King Kanishka), crowned, diademed king standing facing, holding spear and sacrificing at altar at left; reverse wind god Oado running left (variety with rear leg nearly straight), wind blown spiked hair, holding up with both hands a sheer large cape billowing out around body, tamgha left, Bactrian OAΔO downward on right; from the Robert| L3 Collection; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Kanishka I the Great, c. 127 - 150 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Kanishka| |I| |the| |Great,| |c.| |127| |-| |150| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Nana was a female Kushan divinity from Bactria, a variation of pan-Asiatic Nana, a conflation of Sumero-Babylonian Inanna-Ishtar with a local divinity. Nana is first attested by name on a coin of Sapadbizes, a 1st century B.C. king of Bactria who preceded the Kushans. In this case, Nana is depicted as a lion. Nana reappears two centuries later on coins and seals of the Kushan kings, in particular of Kanishka I. She was typically depicted as a seated martial goddess, escorted by a lion. She was also associated with fertility, wisdom and as a goddess of the waters (in particular of the Indus River). Depictions of Nana are known from Afghanistan as late as the 5th - 6th century. In Afghanistan and Pakistan the name appears as "Nawi," the Pashto word for bride.
WA87810. Bronze tetradrachm, ANS Kushan 440 ff., Göbl Kushan 776, Mitchiner ACW 3091, VF, dark brown tone, edge crack, weight 15.625 g, maximum diameter 26.9 mm, die axis 0o, Kapisha main mint, probably Begram mint, c. 128 - 150 A.D.; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAO KANHþKI (King Kanishka), king standing facing, nimbate, diademed, wearing a round brimmed cap, knee length tunic, trousers and boots, sword in sheath on belt, sacrificing over altar left from right hand, vertical spear in left hand; reverse goddess Nana standing half right, nimbate, wearing diadem with long ties, and sleeved ankle length robe, hair with bun in the back, scepter topped with lion protome in right hand, bowl in left hand, Bactrian inscription NANA upward behind, tamga right; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex Moneta (Missouri Numismatic Society Bourse, July 2015); SOLD


Kushan Kingdom, Kujula Kadphises, c. 50 - 90 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Kingdom,| |Kujula| |Kadphises,| |c.| |50| |-| |90| |A.D.||obol|
Uniting the Yuezhi confederation, Kujula Kadphises became the first Kushan emperor. He took Bactria from the Scythians and the Indo-Parthians, and then moved the tribes into Gandhara (N.E. Afghanistan and N. Pakistan). Controlling the Silk Road between China and India, in the east, and the Mediterranean world, in the west, the Kushans became a world power second only to China and Rome.

ANS Kushan notes this type circulated primarily in the Vakhsh valley, Tajikistan.
WA59159. Silver obol, Senior B2.3, ANS Kushan 38 - 43, Mitchiner ACW 2840 - 2843 (Heraios), Göbl Kushan -, aVF, weight 0.588 g, maximum diameter 11.9 mm, die axis 0o, c. 50 - 90 A.D.; obverse diademed and draped bust of king right, with beard and moustache; reverse King standing facing, head right, wearing nomadic dress, armed with sword raising right hand; Greek legend: HIAOY KOPPANOY (of Kushan yabgu) in two flanking downward lines, squared letter forms, blundered; scarce; SOLD


Kushan Kingdom, Terracotta Counterfeiter's Forgery Coin Mold, c. 80 - 100 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Kingdom,| |Terracotta| |Counterfeiter's| |Forgery| |Coin| |Mold,| |c.| |80| |-| |100| |A.D.|
Most ancient coins, including this Kushan Kingdom AE tetradrachm type, were struck not cast. This mold was made by pressing a genuine coin into the clay and was used to cast illegal counterfeit copies. The V shaped notch provided a channel for the filling the molds.
AB54458. Terracotta mold used to cast the reverse of counterfeit Megas Sorter AE tetradrachms of the type with the king riding right, arm raised, tamga before, SOLD


Kushan Empire, Kanishka I the Great, c. 127 - 140 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Kanishka| |I| |the| |Great,| |c.| |127| |-| |140| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Kanishka I the Great ruled an empire in Bactria extending from Turfan in the Tarim Basin to Pataliputra on the Gangetic plain, c. 127 - 150 A.D., with his capital at Purusapura in Gandhara. He is famous for his military, political, and spiritual achievements. His conquests and patronage of Buddhism played an important role in the development of the Silk Road, and the transmission of Mahayana Buddhism from Gandhara across the Karakoram range to China.
WA84802. Bronze tetradrachm, Mitchiner ACW 3077, Göbl Kushan 768, BMC India 46, Whitehead Panjab 68, aVF, thick tight flan, some, weight 17.632 g, maximum diameter 24.8 mm, die axis 315o, Kapisha main mint, probably Begram mint, c. 128 - 140 A.D.; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAO KANHþKI (King Kanishka), clockwise from upper right, last two letters ligate appearing as W, king standing facing, with a long beard, nimbate, diademed, wearing a round brimmed cap, knee length tunic, trousers and boots, sword in sheath on belt, sacrificing over altar left from right hand, vertical spear in left hand; reverse Bactrian legend: MIIPO curving downward on right, sun god Mirro standing half left, radiate nimbus around head, raising right hand commanding sunrise, left hand on sword hilt at side, tamgha left; scarce; SOLD


Western Kshatrapas, Rudrasena II, 256 - 278 A.D.

|Afghanistan| |to| |India|, |Western| |Kshatrapas,| |Rudrasena| |II,| |256| |-| |278| |A.D.||drachm|
Rudrasena II, c. 256 - 278, was the 19th ruler of the Kshatrapa dynasty (Western Satraps). The Kshatrapa dynasty seems to have reached a high level of prosperity under his rule. The Western Kshatrapas were Indo-Scythian (Saka) rulers of the regions of Sindh, Makran, Saurashtra and Malwa (in modern Sindh, Balochistan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh of India and Pakistan), c. 35 - 412 A.D. The Western Satraps were contemporaneous with the Kushans who ruled the northern Indian subcontinent, and were possibly vassals of the Kushans. They were also contemporaneous with the Satavahana who ruled in Central India. They are called "Western Satraps" in modern historiography in order to differentiate them from the "Northern Satraps", who ruled in Punjab and Mathura until the 2nd century. The power of the Western Satraps declined in the 2nd century after they were defeated by the Satavahana dynasty. The kingdom survived, but was ultimately destroyed by Chandragupta II of the Gupta Empire in 412 A.D. Altogether, there were 27 independent Western Satrap rulers during a period of about 350 years.
WA93637. Silver drachm, Senior 354.19D, Mitchiner ACW 2724, VF, light toning, tight flan, weight 2.182 g, maximum diameter 12.3 mm, die axis 90o, 256 - 278 A.D.; obverse bust right with close-fitting headdress, Brahmi script date behind: 179 (year of the Saka era); reverse Brahimi script legend: Rajnah Kshatrapasa Viradamaputrasa Rajno Mahakshatrapasa Rudrasenasa, three-arched hill, river below, crescent moon above, four pellets above right; from the Errett Bishop Collection; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Vasudeva I, c. 190 - 230 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Vasudeva| |I,| |c.| |190| |-| |230| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Vasudeva I was king when the empire was at it's height of splendor, prosperity and opulence, but he was the last of the "Great Kushans." His rule coincided with the invasion of the Sasanians into northwestern India, and the establishment of the Indo-Sasanians or Kushanshahs in what is today Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwestern India. His capital was probably Mathura in northern India. He was a patron of art and the Mathura school of art prospered under his patronage. By the time of Vasudeva I, the Kushan dynasty had been totally assimilated in Indian culture. He was a Hindu, named after Vasudeva, the father of the Hindu god Krishna. Never again did a Kushan ruler depict a Greek or Zoroastrian deity on coinage, all depicted Oesho-Shiva or Ardoxsho-Laxmi. Most of Vasideva's coins depict Oesho with his bull, Nandi, on reverse. His coinage include a series of gold coins depicting four-armed, three headed Oesho-Shiva with finely engraved details demonstrating the superb die-engraving skills of Kushan period.
WA87816. Copper tetradrachm, ANS Kushan 1117, Göbl Kushan 1005, Mitchiner ACW 3419, VF, brown and green patina,, weight 8.435 g, maximum diameter 25.1 mm, die axis 0o, Kapisha main mint, probably Begram mint, middle phase; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAONANOþAO BAZOΔHO KOþANO (king of kings, Vasudeva Kushan), king standing facing, head left, helmeted, nimbate, armored knee length tunic, trousers, and boots, sword in sheath on belt, sacrificing over altar from right hand, trident over altar with crossbar, trident with triangular flag on shaft in left hand; reverse god Oesho (resembles Shiva) standing facing, leaning on bull Nandi standing left, one head, two arms, nimbate, hair in top knot, wearing ankle length dhoti, erect lingam, raising right hand, trident in raised left hand, Bactrian legend OHþO downward on left, tamgha right; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex ECIN, ex Stephan Album Rare coins; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Kanishka I the Great, c. 127 - 150 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Kanishka| |I| |the| |Great,| |c.| |127| |-| |150| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Oesho was a deity represented on the coins of several Kushan kings, one of the titular deities of the dynasty. Nearly all of the images of Oesho are on coins, suggesting his worship was a royal cult, not widely followed by the kings' subjects. Oesho was the only deity depicted on coins of Wima Kadphises, where he is portrayed with an erect lingam and is accompanied by a bull. Under Vasudeva I the iconography varied, with the god depicted with either two or four arms (holding a diadem, thunderbolt, trident and water pot), and one or three heads. The bull, water-pot, and trident became key attributes of Shiva in later Hindu art.
WA87812. Bronze tetradrachm, ANS Kushan 553, Göbl Kushan 781, Mitchiner ACW 3093, VF, excellent reverse detail, dark brown toning, earthen encrustations, obverse off center, edge crack, weight 16.644 g, maximum diameter 26.9 mm, die axis 0o, Kapisha main mint, probably Begram mint, c. 128 - 150 A.D.; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAO KANHþKI (King Kanishka), king standing facing, with a long beard, nimbate, diademed, wearing a round brimmed cap, knee length tunic, trousers and boots, sword in sheath on belt, sacrificing over altar left from right hand, vertical spear in left hand; reverse god Oesho (resembles Shiva) standing facing, four-arms, nimbate head left, hair in a topknot; wears bracelets, armlets and amulet string across chest; holding attributes: diadem, thunderbolt, trident and water pot; tamgha left, Bactrian legend OHþO on right; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex ECIN; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Takto, c. 90 - 113 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Takto,| |c.| |90| |-| |113| |A.D.||didrachm|
Wima Takto was long known as "The nameless King," since his coins only showed the legend "The King of Kings, Great Savior." The discovery of the Rabatak inscription connected his name with the title on the coins. Wima Takto's empire covered northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China, where Kushan presence has been asserted in the Tarim Basin. Under his reign, embassies were also sent to the Chinese court. This type circulated in Bactria, the Kabul valley, Gandhara and the Punjab.
WA93163. Copper didrachm, ANS Kushan 174, Mitchiner ACW 2929, VF, porous, obverse off center, tiny edge cracks, weight 9.019 g, maximum diameter 20.4 mm, die axis 0o, probably Begram mint, early phase; obverse diademed and draped bust of sun-god Miiro right, 13 rays radiating from head, arrow tied with ribbons raised in right hand, 3 pronged tamgha left; reverse BACIΛEV BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC (king of kings, great savior), king on horseback right; wearing soft Iranian cap, diadem with long ties, nomad jacket and trousers; pick-axe in right hand, 3 pronged tamga right; from the Errett Bishop Collection; SOLD


Indo-Scythians, Kushanas Yuezhi in Hindu Kush and Gandhara, c. 30 - 10 B.C., Imitative of Hermaios

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Indo-Scythians,| |Kushanas| |Yuezhi| |in| |Hindu| |Kush| |and| |Gandhara,| |c.| |30| |-| |10| |B.C.,| |Imitative| |of| |Hermaios||tetradrachm|
Hermaios, the last Indo-Greek king, ruled in the Hindu-Kush region, from Alexandria in Arachosia (Kandahar, Afganistan), c. 105 - 90 B.C. His prosperous rule ended when the Scythian Kushanas Yuezhi invaded from neighboring Bactria. With his defeat, the isolated area of Greek domination in the east, which had lasted three centuries since the invasion of Alexander the Great, came to an end. The new rulers widely copied Hermaios coinage for many decades, in an increasingly debased and barbarized form.

An example of this type overstruck by Gonophares established that it must be contemporary with or pre-date Gonophares' reign, c. 50 - 5 B.C. Based on style and metal content, this example is close to the last of Hermaios imitatives.
WA59708. Bronze tetradrachm, Senior Hermaios 42aT.1, Mitchiner IGIS 421b, Mitchiner ACW 2045, SNG ANS 1430 ff., Bopearachchi series 20, HGC 12 308, VF, weight 8.959 g, maximum diameter 23 mm, die axis 0o, eastern Gandhara, uncertain mint, c. 30 - 10 B.C.; obverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ (clockwise above), EPMAIOY (counterclockwise below), diademed and draped bust of Hermaios right, flowing diadem ties, dotted hair; reverse Kharosthi legend: Maharaajasa tratarasa Heramayasa (of Great King Hermaios the Savior), Zeus enthroned half left, chest bare, himation around hips and legs and over left shoulder, legs apart, right hand raised in benediction, scepter in left hand, monogram left, Kharosthi letter right; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Kadphises, c. 113 - 127 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Kadphises,| |c.| |113| |-| |127| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Vima Kadphises was the father of the great Kanishka I. This is an example of the bi-lingual tetradrachm with a Kharoshthi legend on the reverse. The bi-lingual bronze coinage was issued in three denominations - a tetradrachm (or unit), a didrachm (or half unit) and a drachm (or quarter unit).
WA87807. Bronze tetradrachm, cf. ANS Kushan 277, Mitchiner ACW 3012, Göbl Kushan 762, VF, tight flan, rev. slightly off center cutting off part of legends, some marks, some porosity, weight 16.911 g, maximum diameter 27.2 mm, die axis 0o, Begram (Bagram, Afghanistan) mint, c. 113 - 127 A.D.; obverse BACIΛEVC BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC OOHMO KAΔFICHC (king of kings, great savior, Wima Kadphises), King standing facing, sacrificing at flaming altar from right hand, left hand on hilt of sword, wearing diadem with long ribbon ties, tall bonnet, and open knee length tunic over baggy trousers, trident-axe on left, tamga over upright club on right; reverse Kharoshthi legend: of great king, king of kings, lord of the world, great lord, Wima Kadphies, savior), god Oesho (resembles Shiva) facing, leaning on bull standing right, wearing string of amulets across chest, nude but for sheer drapery around legs, erect lingam, trident in right hand, left hand on bull's hump, nandipada upper left; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex ECIN, ex Spartan Numismatics; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Vasudeva I, c. 190 ? 230 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Vasudeva| |I,| |c.| |190| |?| |230| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Vasudeva I was king when the empire was at it's height of splendor, prosperity and opulence, but he was the last of the "Great Kushans." His rule coincided with the invasion of the Sasanians into northwestern India, and the establishment of the Indo-Sasanians or Kushanshahs in what is today Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwestern India. His capital was probably Mathura in northern India. He was a patron of art and the Mathura school of art prospered under his patronage. By the time of Vasudeva I, the Kushan dynasty had been totally assimilated in Indian culture. He was a Hindu, named after Vasudeva, the father of the Hindu god Krishna. Never again did a Kushan ruler depict a Greek or Zoroastrian deity on coinage, all depicted Oesho-Shiva or Ardoxsho-Laxmi. Most of Vasideva's coins depict Oesho with his bull, Nandi, on reverse. His coinage include a series of gold coins depicting four-armed, three headed Oesho-Shiva with finely engraved details demonstrating the superb die-engraving skills of Kushan period.
WA87813. Copper tetradrachm, ANS Kushan 1106, Göbl Kushan 1001, Mitchiner ACW 3416 ff., VF, nice for this crude type, weight 9.071 g, maximum diameter 24.2 mm, die axis 0o, Kapisha main mint, probably Begram mint, early period; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAONANOþAO BAZOΔHO KOþANO (king of kings, Vasudeva Kushan), king standing facing, head left, helmeted, nimbate, armored knee length tunic, trousers, and boots, sword in sheath on belt, sacrificing over altar from right hand, trident above altar, trident with triangular flag on shaft in left hand; reverse god Oesho (resembles Shiva) standing facing, leaning on bull Nandi standing left, one head, two arms, nimbate, hair in top knot, wearing ankle length dhoti, erect lingam, raising right hand, trident in raised left hand, Bactrian legend OHþO downward on left, tamgha right; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex Tyche Numismatics; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Kadphises, c. 113 - 127 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Kadphises,| |c.| |113| |-| |127| |A.D.
||tetradrachm|
Oesho was a deity represented on the coins of several Kushan kings, one of the titular deities of the dynasty. Nearly all of the images of Oesho are on coins, suggesting his worship was a royal cult, not widely followed by the kings' subjects. Oesho was the only deity depicted on coins of Wima Kadphises, where he is portrayed with an erect lingam and is accompanied by a bull. Under Vasudeva I the iconography varied, with the god depicted with either two or four arms (holding a diadem, thunderbolt, trident and water pot), and one or three heads. The bull, water-pot, and trident became key attributes of Shiva in later Hindu art.
WA87814. Bronze tetradrachm, cf. ANS Kushan 293, Mitchiner ACW 3008, Göbl Kushan 762, F, brown tone, porous, reverse off center, weight 16.576 g, maximum diameter 27.3 mm, die axis 0o, Begram (Bagram, Afghanistan) mint, c. 113 - 127 A.D.; obverse BAΣIΛEΩC BAΣIΛEΩN ΣΩTHP MEΓAΣ OOHMO KAΔΦIΣHΣ (king of kings, great savior, Wima Kadphises), King standing facing, head left, sacrificing at flaming altar from right hand, left hand on hilt of sword, wearing diadem with long ribbon ties, tall bonnet, open knee length tunic over baggy trousers, trident-axe left, tamga over club on right; reverse Kharoshthi legend: of great king, king of kings, lord of the world, great lord, Wima Kadphies, savior, god Oesho (resembles Shiva) standing facing, leaning on bull standing right, he has three heads, wearing string of amulets across chest, nude but for sheer drapery around legs, erect lingam, trident in right hand, left hand on bull's hump, nandipada upper left; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex Tyche Numismatics; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Kadphises, c. 113 - 127 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Kadphises,| |c.| |113| |-| |127| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Oesho was a deity represented on the coins of several Kushan kings, one of the titular deities of the dynasty. Nearly all of the images of Oesho are on coins, suggesting his worship was a royal cult, not widely followed by the kings' subjects. Oesho was the only deity depicted on coins of Wima Kadphises, where he is portrayed with an erect lingam and is accompanied by a bull. Under Vasudeva I the iconography varied, with the god depicted with either two or four arms (holding a diadem, thunderbolt, trident and water pot), and one or three heads. The bull, water-pot, and trident became key attributes of Shiva in later Hindu art.
WA87815. Bronze tetradrachm, cf. ANS Kushan 295, Mitchiner ACW 3027, Göbl Kushan 762, F, brown tone, off center, weight 17.466 g, maximum diameter 26.2 mm, die axis 0o, Begram (Bagram, Afghanistan) mint, c. 113 - 127 A.D.; obverse BACIΛEVC BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC OOHMO KAΔFICHC (king of kings, great savior, Wima Kadphises), King standing facing, sacrificing at flaming altar from right hand, left hand on hilt of sword, wearing diadem with long ribbon ties, tall bonnet, and open knee length tunic over baggy trousers, trident-axe on left, tamga over diagonal club on right; reverse Kharoshthi legend: of great king, king of kings, lord of the world, great lord, Wima Kadphies, savior, god Oesho (resembles Shiva) facing, leaning on bull standing right, he has three heads, wearing string of amulets across chest, nude but for sheer drapery around legs, erect lingam, trident in right hand, left hand on bull's hump, nandipada upper left; from the Robert| L3 Collection; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Takto, c. 90 - 113 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Takto,| |c.| |90| |-| |113| |A.D.||didrachm|
Wima Takto was long known as "The nameless King," since his coins only showed the legend "The King of Kings, Great Savior." The discovery of the Rabatak inscription connected his name with the title on the coins. Wima Takto's empire covered northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China, where Kushan presence has been asserted in the Tarim Basin. Under his reign, embassies were also sent to the Chinese court. This type circulated in Bactria, the Kabul valley, Gandhara and the Punjab.
WA55544. Copper didrachm, ANS Kushan 197, Mitchiner ACW 2957, VF, nice green patina with red earthen highlighting, weight 8.578 g, maximum diameter 23.6 mm, die axis 0o, probably Begram mint, c. 90 - 113 A.D.; obverse radiate, diademed, and draped bust of sun-god Miiro right, 5 rays, arrow tied with ribbons raised in right hand, 3 pronged tamgha left; reverse BACIΛEV BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC (king of kings, great savior), king on horseback right; wearing soft Iranian cap, diadem with long ties, nomad jacket and trousers; pick-axe in right hand, 3 pronged tamga right; ex Amphora Coins; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Takto, c. 90 - 113 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Takto,| |c.| |90| |-| |113| |A.D.||didrachm|
Wima Takto was long known as "The nameless King," since his coins only showed the legend "The King of Kings, Great Savior." The discovery of the Rabatak inscription connected his name with the title on the coins. Wima Takto's empire covered northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China, where Kushan presence has been asserted in the Tarim Basin. Under his reign, embassies were also sent to the Chinese court. This type circulated in Bactria, the Kabul valley, Gandhara and the Punjab.
WA93162. Copper didrachm, ANS Kushan 196 (same obv. die), Mitchiner ACW 2957, aVF, some corrosion, weight 8.371 g, maximum diameter 20.0 mm, die axis 0o, probably Begram mint, c. 90 - 113 A.D.; obverse diademed and draped bust of sun-god Miiro right, 5 rays radiating from his head, arrow tied with ribbons raised in right hand, 3 pronged tamga left; reverse BACIΛEV BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC (king of kings, great savior), king on horseback right; wearing soft Iranian cap, diadem with long ties, nomad jacket and trousers, pick-axe in right hand, 3 pronged tamga right; from the Errett Bishop Collection; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Takto, c. 90 - 113 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Takto,| |c.| |90| |-| |113| |A.D.||didrachm|
Wima Takto was long known as "The nameless King," since his coins only showed the legend "The King of Kings, Great Savior." The discovery of the Rabatak inscription connected his name with the title on the coins. Wima Takto's empire covered northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China, where Kushan presence has been asserted in the Tarim Basin. Under his reign, embassies were also sent to the Chinese court. This type circulated in Bactria, the Kabul valley, Gandhara and the Punjab.
WA16953. Copper didrachm, ANS Kushan 185, Mitchiner ACW 2947, gVF, weight 8.264 g, maximum diameter 20.9 mm, die axis 0o, probably Begram mint, c. 90 - 113 A.D.; obverse radiate, diademed, and draped bust of sun-god Miiro right, 7 rays, arrow tied with ribbons raised in right hand, 3 pronged tamgha left; reverse BACIΛEV BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC (king of kings, great savior), king on horseback right; wearing soft Iranian cap, diadem with long ties, nomad jacket and trousers; pick-axe in right hand, 3 pronged tamga right; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Kadphises, c. 113 - 127 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Kadphises,| |c.| |113| |-| |127| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
Oesho was a deity represented on the coins of several Kushan kings, one of the titular deities of the dynasty. Nearly all of the images of Oesho are on coins, suggesting his worship was a royal cult, not widely followed by the kings' subjects. Oesho was the only deity depicted on coins of Wima Kadphises, where he is portrayed with an erect lingam and is accompanied by a bull. Under Vasudeva I the iconography varied, with the god depicted with either two or four arms (holding a diadem, thunderbolt, trident and water pot), and one or three heads. The bull, water-pot, and trident became key attributes of Shiva in later Hindu art.
WA87818. Bronze tetradrachm, cf. ANS Kushan 295, Mitchiner ACW 3027, Göbl Kushan 762, F, well centered, porous, weight 15.182 g, maximum diameter 30.7 mm, die axis 0o, Begram (Bagram, Afghanistan) mint, c. 113 - 127 A.D.; obverse BACIΛEVC BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC OOHMO KAΔFICHC (king of kings, great savior, Wima Kadphises), King standing facing, sacrificing at flaming altar from right hand, left hand on hilt of sword, wearing diadem with long ribbon ties, tall bonnet, and open knee length tunic over baggy trousers, trident-axe on left, tamga over diagonal club on right; reverse Kharoshthi legend: of great king, king of kings, lord of the world, great lord, Wima Kadphies, savior, god Oesho (resembles Shiva) facing, leaning on bull standing right, he has three heads, wearing string of amulets across chest, nude but for sheer drapery around legs, erect lingam, trident in right hand, left hand on bull's hump, nandipada upper left; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex Tyche Numismatics; SOLD


Indo-Scythians, Kushanas Yuezhi in Hindu Kush and Gandhara, c. 55 - 45 B.C., Imitative of Hermaios

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Indo-Scythians,| |Kushanas| |Yuezhi| |in| |Hindu| |Kush| |and| |Gandhara,| |c.| |55| |-| |45| |B.C.,| |Imitative| |of| |Hermaios||drachm|
Hermaios was the last Indo-Greek king. With his defeat by the Kushan ruler Kujala Kadphises, the isolated Greek area in India, which had lasted three centuries since Alexander the Greats' invasion, came to an end. The new rulers widely copied Hermaios coinage for many decades, in an increasingly debased and barbarized form.
GS06243. Silver drachm, cf. Senior Hermaios 40aD.3/2 (noted as not seen), Bopearachchi series 17, Mitchiner IGIS 420ab, HGC 12 305 (S), gVF, weight 1.82 g, maximum diameter 15.7 mm, die axis 0o, eastern Gandhara, uncertain mint, c. 55 - 45 B.C.; obverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ (clockwise above), EPMAIOY (counterclockwise below), diademed and draped bust of Hermaios right, flowing diadem ties, dotted hair; reverse Kharosthi legend: Maharaajasa tratarasa Heramayasa (of Great King Hermaios the Savior), Zeus enthroned half left, chest bare, himation around hips and legs and over left shoulder, legs apart, right hand raised in benediction, scepter in left hand, monogram left, Kharosthi letter with dot below right; scarce; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Takto, c. 90 - 113 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Takto,| |c.| |90| |-| |113| |A.D.||didrachm|
Wima Takto was long known as "The nameless King," since his coins only showed the legend "The King of Kings, Great Savior." The discovery of the Rabatak inscription connected his name with the title on the coins. Wima Takto's empire covered northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China, where Kushan presence has been asserted in the Tarim Basin. Under his reign, embassies were also sent to the Chinese court. This type circulated in Bactria, the Kabul valley, Gandhara and the Punjab.
WA87819. Copper didrachm, cf. ANS Kushan 197, Mitchiner ACW 2957, VF, crowded flan cutting off much of the legend, a little rough, weight 7.746 g, maximum diameter 21.0 mm, die axis 0o, probably Begram mint, c. 90 - 113 A.D.; obverse diademed and draped bust of sun-god Miiro right, rays radiating from head, arrow tied with ribbons raised in right hand, 3 pronged tamgha left; reverse BACIΛEV BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC (king of kings, great savior), king on horseback right; wearing soft Iranian cap, diadem with long ties, nomad jacket and trousers; pick-axe in right hand, 3 pronged tamga right; from the Robert| L3 Collection, ex ECIN; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Takto, c. 90 - 113 A.D.

|Afghanistan| |to| |India|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Takto,| |c.| |90| |-| |113| |A.D.||didrachm|
Wima Takto was long known as "The nameless King," since his coins only showed the legend "The King of Kings, Great Savior." The discovery of the Rabatak inscription connected his name with the title on the coins. Wima Takto's empire covered northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China, where Kushan presence has been asserted in the Tarim Basin. Under his reign, embassies were also sent to the Chinese court. This type circulated in Bactria, the Kabul valley, Gandhara and the Punjab.
WA49651. Copper didrachm, ANS Kushan 185, Mitchiner ACW 2947, VF, earthen highlights, weight 8.125 g, maximum diameter 20.9 mm, die axis 0o, probably Begram mint, c. 90 - 113 A.D.; obverse radiate, diademed, and draped bust of sun-god Miiro right, 7 rays, arrow tied with ribbons raised in right hand, 3 pronged tamgha left; reverse BACIΛEV BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC (king of kings, great savior), king on horseback right; wearing soft Iranian cap, diadem with long ties, nomad jacket and trousers; pick-axe in right hand, 3 pronged tamga right; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Wima Takto, c. 90 - 113 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Wima| |Takto,| |c.| |90| |-| |113| |A.D.||didrachm|
Wima Takto was long known as "The nameless King," since his coins only showed the legend "The King of Kings, Great Savior." The discovery of the Rabatak inscription connected his name with the title on the coins. Wima Takto's empire covered northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China, where Kushan presence has been asserted in the Tarim Basin. Under his reign, embassies were also sent to the Chinese court. This type circulated in Bactria, the Kabul valley, Gandhara and the Punjab.
WA68937. Copper didrachm, ANS Kushan 185, Mitchiner ACW 2947, F, weight 8.018 g, maximum diameter 20.8 mm, die axis 0o, probably Begram mint, c. 90 - 113 A.D.; obverse radiate, diademed, and draped bust of sun-god Miiro right, 7 rays, arrow tied with ribbons raised in right hand, 3 pronged tamgha left; reverse BACIΛEV BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC (king of kings, great savior), king on horseback right; wearing soft Iranian cap, diadem with long ties, nomad jacket and trousers; pick-axe in right hand, 3 pronged tamga right; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Vasu Deva I, c. 195 - 225 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Vasu| |Deva| |I,| |c.| |195| |-| |225| |A.D.||unit|
Peshawar is the capital of Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province and the administrative center for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The ancient Sanskrit name was Purushapura (meaning "city of men"). The Kushan king Kanishka moved the Kushan capital to Purushapura (Peshawar) in the 2nd century A.D.
WA40162. Bronze unit, Mitchiner ACW 3500, F, weight 8.523 g, maximum diameter 23.2 mm, die axis 0o, Peshawar (Purushapura) mint, late reign issue; obverse Kushan king standing facing, trident in right, left hand lowered to altar, trident behind altar, Nandipada symbol right; reverse Stiva standing facing beside bull standing left, tamga behind; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Huvishka, 152 - 192 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Huvishka,| |152| |-| |192| |A.D.||AE| |24|
Prior to Huvishka's reign, much of the Kushan Empire had been ruled by subordinate rulers, ksatraps. The ksatraps, which had maintained significant autonomy, vanished from records during his reign. Huvishka patronized both Buddhist and Brahmin institutions.
WA90118. Bronze AE 24, Mitchiner ACW 3293, F, weight 9.513 g, maximum diameter 23.7 mm, die axis 45o, obverse Huvishka on elephant right, scepter in right, goad in left, blundered Kharosthi legend; reverse Siva with two arms, holding trident Pharro (God who bestows royal glory) standing facing, nimbate, head left, diadem in right hand, spear vertical in left, tamga in left field, blundered Greek inscription; ex Ancient Imports (Marc Breitsprecher); SOLD


Kushan Empire, Huvishka, 152 - 192 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Huvishka,| |152| |-| |192| |A.D.||tetradrachm|
The Kushans descended from the Kue-Shuang branch of the Yueh-Chi tribe, originally from the Chinese frontier. They migrated into Gandhara and Punjab, India by the end of the 1st century B.C. The first types issued copied the Bactrian issues of Hermaeus. Later issues were influenced by Roman coins. Kushan was overrun by the Sasanian Empire in the early 3rd century A.D., but continued to exist until the 4th century.
WA49494. Bronze tetradrachm, ANS Kushan 956, Göbl Kushan 834, F, weight 7.941 g, maximum diameter 24.3 mm, die axis 0o, obverse Bactrian inscription: þAONANOþAO OOHþKE KOþANO (King of Kings Huvishka Kushan), Huvishka seated facing, cross-legged, on boulders symbolizing a mountain top, head right, diadem with long ties, short club in right hand, left hand raised holding spear or trident; reverse fire-god Athsho standing facing, head left, diadem with long ties, cloak over shoulders clasped at chest, calf-length tunic, diadem-wreath in extended right hand, left hand on hip holding fire tongs, four pronged tamga in left field, AΘþO downward on right; SOLD


Kushano-Sasanian, Hormazd I Kushanshah, c. 265 - 295 A.D.

|Sasanian| |Empire|, |Kushano-Sasanian,| |Hormazd| |I| |Kushanshah,| |c.| |265| |-| |295| |A.D.||drachm|
WA25402. Bronze drachm, Göbl Kushan 1125; Mitchiner ACW 1284v, Alram IP 1463, aVF, weight 3.322 g, maximum diameter 15.5 mm, die axis 0o, Gandhara mint, c. 270 - 295 A.D.; obverse Pahlavi, 'Meze', bearded bust right wearing lion headdress, long ribbons flow upward from hair in pleats; reverse fire altar with 'Gondopharan' symbol on shaft, bust on altar; SOLD


Kushano-Sasanian, Hormazd I Kushanshah, c. 265 - 295 A.D.

|Sasanian| |Empire|, |Kushano-Sasanian,| |Hormazd| |I| |Kushanshah,| |c.| |265| |-| |295| |A.D.||drachm|
WA25419. Bronze drachm, Göbl Kushan 1122 ff., F, weight 4.686 g, maximum diameter 18.8 mm, die axis 0o, Gandhara mint, c. 270 - 295 A.D.; obverse Pahlavi legend, bearded bust right wearing lion headdress, long ribbons flow upward from hair in pleats; reverse fire altar with ''Gondopharan'' symbol on shaft; SOLD


Kushano-Sasanian, Hormazd I Kushanshah, c. 265 - 295 A.D.

|Sasanian| |Empire|, |Kushano-Sasanian,| |Hormazd| |I| |Kushanshah,| |c.| |265| |-| |295| |A.D.||drachm|
WA25409. Bronze drachm, Göbl Kushan 1125; Mitchiner ACW 1284v; Alram IP 1463, F, weight 3.162 g, maximum diameter 16.1 mm, die axis 0o, Gandhara mint, c. 270 - 295 A.D.; obverse Pahlavi, 'Meze', bearded bust right wearing lion headdress, long ribbons flow upward from hair in pleats; reverse fire altar with 'Gondopharan' symbol on shaft, bust on altar; SOLD


Kushan Kingdom, Taxila Region, Kanishka III, 267 - 270 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Kingdom,| |Taxila| |Region,| |Kanishka| |III,| |267| |-| |270| |A.D.||dinara|
In an inscription discovered in Punjab, Kanishka III is titled Maharaja rajadhiraja Devaputra Kaisara Kanishka ("Great King, King of Kings, Son of God, Caesar, Kanishka), suggesting some awareness of the Roman Empire as Kaisara seems to stand for "Caesar", and names himself as the son of Vajheshka, identified as Kushan ruler Vashishka.

Oesho was represented on the coins of several Kushan kings, one of the titular deities of the dynasty. Nearly all of the images of Oesho are on coins, suggesting his worship was a royal cult, not widely followed by the kings' subjects. The bull, water-pot, and trident became key attributes of Shiva in later Hindu art.
SH98717. Gold dinara, ANS Kushan 1645, Göbl Kushan 635, Choice EF, well centered, double struck, weight 7.705 g, maximum diameter 21.5 mm, die axis 0o, probably Taxila mint, 267 - 270 A.D.; obverse Bactrian legend: þAONANOþAOKA NHþKO KOþANO (King of kings, Kanishka Kushan), king standing left, nimbate, wearing diadem, jeweled helmet with earflaps, armor, and sword, sacrificing over small flaming altar to left, trident in left hand, filleted trident to left, Brahmi letters: ga lower left, gho between feet, and hu right; reverse Bactrian legend downward on right: OHþO (Oesho), god Oesho (resembles Shiva) standing facing, one nimbate head, two arms, diadem in right hand, trident in left hand, bull Nandi standing left behind, tamgha upper left; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Vasudeva I, c. 190 - 230 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Vasudeva| |I,| |c.| |190| |-| |230| |A.D.||dinara|
Vasudeva I was king when the empire was at it's height of splendor, prosperity and opulence, but he was the last of the "Great Kushans." His rule coincided with the invasion of the Sasanians into northwestern India, and the establishment of the Indo-Sasanians or Kushanshahs in what is today Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwestern India. His capital was probably Mathura in northern India. He was a patron of art and the Mathura school of art prospered under his patronage. By the time of Vasudeva I, the Kushan dynasty had been totally assimilated in Indian culture. He was a Hindu, named after Vasudeva, the father of the Hindu god Krishna. Never again did a Kushan ruler depict a Greek or Zoroastrian deity on coinage, all depicted Oesho-Shiva or Ardoxsho-Laxmi. Most of Vasideva's coins depict Oesho with his bull, Nandi, on reverse. His coinage include a series of gold coins depicting four-armed, three headed Oesho-Shiva with finely engraved details demonstrating the superb die-engraving skills of Kushan period.
SP92334. Gold dinara, ANS Kushan 1092, Göbl Kushan 640A, Mitchiner ACW 3395 (Peshawar), VF, light marks, minor flan flaw lower half of reverse, reverses double strike, light earthen deposits, weight 7.890 g, maximum diameter 23.5 mm, die axis 0o, main mint, Bactria (probably Balkh) mint, late phase; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAONANOþAO BAZOΔHO KOþANO (king of kings, Vasudeva Kushan), king standing facing, head left, helmeted, nimbate, armored knee length tunic, trousers, and boots, sword in sheath on belt, sacrificing over altar from right hand, trident over altar, trident in left hand, nandipada in right field; reverse god Oesho (resembles Shiva) standing facing, leaning on bull Nandi standing left, one head, two arms, radiate nimbus, wearing ankle length dhoti, erect lingam, diadem in right hand, trident in raised left hand, tamga upper left, Bactrian legend OHþO upward on right; ex Artemission, London (2005); SOLD


Kushan Kingdom, Vasudeva II, 267 - 300 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Kingdom,| |Vasudeva| |II,| |267| |-| |300| |A.D.||dinara|
Vasudeva II was a Kushan emperor who ruled c. 267 - 300 A.D. He was probably the successor of Kanishka III and may have been succeeded by a king named Shaka Kushan.

Oesho was represented on the coins of several Kushan kings, one of the titular deities of the dynasty. Nearly all of the images of Oesho are on coins, suggesting his worship was a royal cult, not widely followed by the kings' subjects. The bull, water-pot, and trident became key attributes of Shiva in later Hindu art.
SH91975. Gold dinara, ANS Kushan 1650, Göbl Kushan 630, Donum Burns 715, Choice gVF, weight 7.822 g, maximum diameter 22.8 mm, die axis 0o, Mathura/Gandhara, main mint, 267 - 300 A.D.; obverse Bactrian inscription: þAONANOþAO BAZOΔHO KOþANO (King of Kings Vasudeva Kushan), Vasudeva standing left, sacrificing over altar, filleted staff in left hand, filleted trident to left; Brahmi rju right of altar, Brahmi gho between Vasudeva's feet, Brahmi tra to right of Vasudeva's leg, Brahmi rda to right; reverse god Oesho (resembles Shiva) standing facing before the bull Nandi standing left, nimbate head facing, diadem in right hand, trident in left hand, tamgha upper left, Bactrian legend OHþO downward on right; ex Artemission (London), 2006; SOLD


Kushan Empire, Shaka, c. 305 - 335 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kushan| |Empire,| |Shaka,| |c.| |305| |-| |335| |A.D.||dinara|
The list of Kushan rulers and their dates of reign is constantly under review. This coin has a Brahmi inscription "Shaka" in the right field, in the same place where Vasudeva II's coins read "Vasu." It is natural to suppose that perhaps Shaka was the name of the king who issued the coin. There is a mention of one "Devaputra Shahi Shahanshahi Shaka Murunda" in Samudragupta's famous Allahabad inscription, as one of the rulers who paid him homage. In this context, Shaka could be a title, it could refer to a tribe, or it could be a personal name. Robert Göbl did not think Shaka was the name of a ruler; rather, he thought the coins were tribal issues, but Michael Mitchiner and the authors of ANS Kushan think Shaka was a king.
SH85122. Gold dinara, ANS Kushan 1671, Göbl Kushan 585, Donum Burns 760 - 762, gVF, small hairline flan crack, scratch on reverse, weight 7.823 g, maximum diameter 19.7 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain mint, c. 305 - 335 A.D.; obverse Shaka standing facing, head left wearing nimbus, diadem and conical hat, sacrificing over altar from right hand, filleted staff in left hand, filleted trident to left, Brahmi inscriptions: sya under left arm, vi between altar and leg, Shaka right; reverse goddess Ardoxsho enthroned facing, nimbate, diadem in right hand, cradling cornucopia in left arm, tamgha upper left, blundered Bactrian inscription (mostly off flan as usual); SOLD


Kindarite Huns, Peroz, c. 345 - 350 A.D.

|Kushan| |Empire|, |Kindarite| |Huns,| |Peroz,| |c.| |345| |-| |350| |A.D.||stater|
The Kindarite coins betray little of their Hun origins as the designs were copied from coins issued by the Kushan and Kushano-Sasanian kings, whom they succeeded. In Bactria, the coins of were struck in the name of the last Kushano-Sasanian king, Varahran Kushanshah, whom they may have retained as a puppet ruler, but the real power is identified by a Kindarite tamga.
SH48317. Gold stater, ANS Kushan 2420, Mitchiner ACW 3592, Göbl Kushan 608, aEF, weight 7.796 g, maximum diameter 21.8 mm, die axis 0o, Gandhara mint, c. 345 - 350 A.D.; obverse Kushan style king standing facing, head left, nimbate, diademed, wearing pointed cap, sacrificing at altar from right hand, staff in left hand, trident above left; Brahmi inscriptions: Kapana next to altar, Peroyasa under left arm, Gadahara right; reverse goddess Ardochsho (Lakshmi) enthroned facing, nimbate, crescent on top of head, diadem with ladder-like ribbons in right hand, cornucopia in left hand, tamga upper left, Brahmi monogram sha right; SOLD


Kushano-Sasanian, Hormazd I Kushanshah, c. 265 - 295 A.D.

|Sasanian| |Empire|, |Kushano-Sasanian,| |Hormazd| |I| |Kushanshah,| |c.| |265| |-| |295| |A.D.||drachm|
WA25401. Bronze drachm, Göbl Kushan 1122/1124, Cribb 34, F, weight 3.603 g, maximum diameter 20.3 mm, Gandhara II mint, c. 270 - 295 A.D.; obverse satrap's name KoBoΔ (Kawad), bearded bust right wearing lion headdress, long ribbons flow upward from hair in pleats; reverse fire altar surmounted by bust of Ahura Mazda; scarce with readable name; SOLD








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REFERENCES

Alram, M. Iranisches Personennamenbuch: Nomina Propria Iranica In Nummis. Österreichischen Akademie Der Wissenschaften. (Vienna, 1986).
Jongeward, D. & J. Cribb. Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins: A Catalogue of Coins from the American Numismatic Society. (New York, 2015).
Carter, M. "A Consideration of some Iconographic Details of Buddha Images on Kushana Coins" in Essays McDowall.
Carter, M. "A Numismatic Reconstruction of Kushano-Sasanian History" in ANSMN 30 (1985).
Cribb, J. "Kanishka's Buddha image coins revisited" in Silk Road Art and Archaeology 6 (1999/2000).
Cribb, J. "Numismatic Evidence for Kushano-Sasanian Chronology" in Studia Iranica 19 (1990).
Cribb, J. "The 'Heraus' coins: their attribution to the Kushan king Kujula Kadphises, c. AD 30-80" in Essays Carson-Jenkins.
Cribb, J. & R. Bracey. Kushan Coins Catalogue. (London, 2011).
Friedberg, A. & U. Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present. (Clifton, NJ, 2009).
Gardner, P. The Coins of the Greek and Scythic Kings of Bactria and India in the British Museum. (London, 1886).
Göbl. R. Donum Burns, Die Küsanmünzen im Münzkabinett Bern und die Chronologie. (Vienna, 1971).
Göbl, R. Münzprägung des Kusanreiches. Österreichischen Akademie Der Wissenschaften. (Vienna, 1984).
Herzfeld. E. Kushano-Sasanian Coins. Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India, No. 38. (Calcutta, 1930).
Jongeward, D. & J. Cribb. Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins: A Catalogue of Coins from the American Numismatic Society. (New York, 2015).
Loeschner, H. "Notes on the Yuezhi - Kushan Relationship and the Kushan Chronology" ONS Occasional Paper, 15 May 2008.
Mitchiner, M. Oriental Coins, Vol. 2: the Ancient and Classical World. (London, 1978).
Mukherjee. B. Kushana Silver Coinage. (Calcutta, 2004).
Rosenfield, J. The Dynastic Art of the Kushans. (Berkeley, 1967).
Senior, R. Indo-Scythian Coins and History. (London, 2001; supplement: London, 2006).
Whitehead, R. Catalog of Coins in the Panjab Museum, Lahore, Vol. I: Indo-Greek Coins. (Oxford, 1914).

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