I love you, Hun.

I love you, Hun, is one of the most important things you can say your significant other, OR your collection of Central Asian tribal coins.

I was just reading Klaus Vondrovec's Coinage of the Nezak, found for free here..

https://www.academia.edu/880242/Coinage_of_the_Nezak

It blew my mind that the makes a point that the Nezak coins come into existence as a full formed and full developed coin, while the Alchon used manipulated Sassanian coins dies and only after centuries developed their own distinct coin type. I found the paper just awesome. He covers a lot of different examples, chronology and development of the series.

After looking at my collection I realized, I did not have a Nezak Hun represented. Nezak Hun Drachms start off as fine silver coins akin to the Persian's drachm and then quickly debase to AE, of which high silver content is rare.

I looked at many nice examples of these seemingly common coins. Many members here have a Nezak laying around even though they might not "eastern collectors." As far as Huns can found relatively inexpensive. With that in mind I sought out to acquire
a Nezak in good condition, of a popular ruler with an undisturbed legend, without breaking the bank. I wanted a special Nezak.

The coin I found was attributed to the Nezak, but likely was made after the Alchon, Nezak and Hephthalite alliance. The finer distinctions between these Huns becomes quite obscured. This coin names a regional warlord.

Hunnic Tribes, Nezak Huns.
Sahi Tigin. Circa AD 710-720. BI Drachm.
28.50mm, 2.80g. Kapisa-Kabul mint.
Obv: Diademed and crowned bust right. CPI TOΓINI ÞOYO In cursive Bactrian Greek.
Rev: Fire altar with ribbons, flanked by two attendants. “Srima dive” in Brahmi down to right of altar shaft, [“pare Sri down to left].
Ref: Gobl, Dokumente Em. 206, MACW -. Zeno #20999.
Note: Good very fine. Rare specially at this condition.

 

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ahhh...i've seen this one before....very nice. i like the fire altar attendants, cool how they aren't just abstract figures.

 

Congratulations on the acquisition! I find this coinage more and more interesting, so the link to the academia article is particularly useful - it looks like a great overview.

 

Chris I knew you would appreciate this. I really like the way the you picked up on this. Notice the Brahmi scrolling up the sides of the fire altar. There is also no Persian on the coin. I wish it were dated, like a Sassanian coin.

Maybe Medoraman will make comment, I bet he has six of these laying around.

 

If you liked the article you will love this one on the development of the Alchon coins.

http://coinindia.com/Alchon.pdf

 

Yes,i like these too!! i want one with the fire attendants also.love the info, honey buns!!!

 

Congrats are in order.

 

Great! Thank you. I don't have time to read today, but I've downloaded both and look forward to giving them a long, slow study.

 

Nice catch Anoob!

Aww he loves you too

 

Nice paper, I will review.

Actually I would view your coin as a precursor to the Nezak coinage. This one is of higher style than Nezak pieces. I love it.

Btw, let me know if you want a stereotypical Nezak piece. I probably have 50 laying around man, not kidding. CNG has had some group lots of them, and you know me....

 

Interesting you say that. There are some conflicting datings of these coinage types. I would have categorized AncientNoob's coin more as a Turk Shahi coin, than as a Nezak coin. In which case it would rather post-date the Nezak coinage by more than a century. (In any case: Niiiice coin !)

 

Stylistically, if this was an Alchon coin, I would say the typical style degradation would force it to be before Nezak coinage. However, you are right sir that the first thing that came to my mind was a Shahi Tagin coin, in which case it does not have anything to do with the Alchon/Nezak coinage, and of course would postdate the Hunnic coinage in Kabul. Shahi Tagin had some spectacular coinage, of which I only own 3 different types. I would love to be able to obtain some other varieties.

 

I too would like to have some more of these, but i have to feed the kids (once in a while..).
Here a contemporary from the part of the family which ruled a little more south in the Zabulistan region (might have shown this before). These still have some Nezak elements (the bull crown).

 

I was under the impression the coin was made after the Nezak.

 

Try this page. THe more I look at this coin, the more it is screaming Shahi Tegin.

 

It is Sahi Tigin

 

This was a Turk, not, (most likely), a Hun. Nezaks were Red Huns, but were displaced by the Turks in Kabul and moved south into northern India. Sorry, I didn't see it attributed to Shahi Tegin at first. I collect this timeframe as well, but with the knowledge its from the short timespan from when the Turks displaced the Huns, and before they themselves were conquered by the Muslims. Its an even more murky time, when spots of Huns were still in control, Turks had taken over other places, and all of them fighting between themselves and in common with the greater enemy, Islam. Shahi Tegin issued some of the most artistic and beautiful coins in this era. I kind of liken him imitating great Persian coins of the past like the 12th and 13th century Turks imitated many ancient coins in what we call "figural bronzes". I have been collecting those more lately as well.

 

Now I am confused. I thought Red Huns where the Kidarites of old.
Kidara, Red Huns struck AD 360.

I agree with you med. I would call Shahi Tigin a Turk as well. It is also interesting that my White Huns Drachm pictured below is often attributed to Vasu Deva, but Shahi Tigin is the King of Kings and Vasu Deva (commonly called Turko-Hephthallites) is a person of unknown relation or vice versa.

Vasu Deva struck c. yr 65 , YZ (Yazdgard Era) 65 = AD 697

 

What page?