summer surge ii: indo-greeks

well, i decided i wasn't quite ready for a wagon ride yet, so i picked up a few more coins. all of these were given the ok by mrs. chrsmat71, so i'm not in the doghouse.

here's the first...





Apollodotus II, AE obol or octuple unit

85-60 BC
27 mm
14.2 g

Apollo standing three-quarters right, holding bow, monogram at left,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / AΠOΛΛOΔOTOY

Tripod, flanked by Kharoshthi letters,

Kharoshthi legend around

Reference: MIG 432e, Bop 6, Mitchiner 432


not the most attractive coin, but nice for the price i paid. this one is actually going rate for the type, nicer ones are pretty hard to find....and expensive.

question: do i have the reverse picture upside down????? there doesn't seem to be a consensus with the pictures of the coin that i can find online.

 

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I believe it is upside down but it is not a common coin and I do not have one.

 

Summer Surge Part II - Surge Harder!

 

Interesting for sure.

 

Atta-boy, Surge ...

=> you had me at "Apollo holding bow", but then you tossed in a tripod for a few extra bonus points (great score, my coin-friend)

 

Cool new coin Chris, i like..i'm glad someones still running around that dumb wagon.

 

thanks all!

i'm starting to think i have the reverse in the correct orientation. when i look up kharoshthi scrips, i always see the "fishhook" 7 on the left of the reverse. upper left here..

 

I see what you mean by inconsistent. Steve Album and acsearch say you are upside down while Coin India says you are right. I'll switch to Coin India as the more likely expert to be right and withdraw my error above.

 

I agree that the shown orientation is correct. Reason one is the shape of the fire altar.
Reason two is the Kharoshti inscription. Kharoshti reads from right to left, anticlockwise, beginning at the lower right of the coin. The general order is "Maharajasa Tratarasa 'name of the king' ". In your coin the maharajasa part is on the right of the coin. So it is in the correct position.

 

I don't have anything Kharoshthi to share, but I do have this chubby Indo-Sassanian drachm. Doug's page piqued my interest in these coins and I was surprised by how affordable they are - little demand I suppose. I've got a few more varieties on order.

Indo-Sasanian, Gadhalya Paisa 800 - 950 AD Drachm
OBVERSE: Indo-Sasanian style Kings bust right
REVERSE: Stylized fire altar, with attendants on either side.
13mm - 4.6 grams
Mitchiner Non-Islamic 427

 

Tha archer and fire-altar are used on the copper coins of several indo-greek kings.
Below an example of King Strato I (ca 110-85 BC):

 

nice to see some other indo-goodies!

here's another coin that is nicer than it looks, and a bit above average for the type. i wanted a kushan "king with a skirt coin", as these are know (by me...and no one else probably). the seller had it listed as huvishka, but i thin it is kanishka i. i could be wrong, please let me know if so.




Kanishka I


AE drachm or 1/4 unit
128-150 AD
18 mm
4.2 g

O:King left, Bactrian legend, control mark left.

R:Goddess Nana standing right, nimbate, holding bowl and protome of animal(??? if they say so??)
Bactrian legend left: NANA, tamgha at right

Göbl 806, MAC 3166-67

 

Yeeeeeehhhhaaaaaaaa .... Indo-Indo-Indo-Rammmmaaaaaa!!

Indo-Scythian Kings, Azes. AE-Unit. Brahma Bull / Lion
c. 58 - 20 BC
Diameter: 27 mm
Weight: 13.35 grams
Orientation: 10 h
Obverse: Rajadirajasa Legend. Lion standing rt., monogram above
Reverse: Brahma bull rt., monogram above, shi before






INDO-SKYTHIANS. Azes. AR Tetradrachm
Circa 58-12 BC
Diameter: 27 mm
Weight: 9.32 grams
Obverse: King on horseback right, holding spear
Reverse: Zeus standing slightly left, holding thunderbolt and scepter; monogram to lower left, Bha to right






INDIA, Kushan: Vima Kadphises
AE tetradrachm
circa 112-127 AD
Diameter: 28 mm
Weight: 16.88 grams
Obverse: King standing facing, sacrificing at altar left, tamgha and club in right ield, Greek legend around: BACIΛEVC BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC OOhMO KAΔΦICHC
Reverse: Oesho (Siva) standing facing, Bull Nandi behind, nandipada at left, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa rajadirajasa sarvaloga isvarasa mahisvarasa vima kathphishasa tratara

 

The quarter unit Kushan indeed is a Kanishka type with Nana as deity on the reverse.
These are generally in what's called the "Eastern mint style".
For comparison an early Kanishka 1/2 unit with Helios. The name of the deity here is still in Greek (HELIOS). Later the local name (MIORO) is used.

In Huvishka copper coins there are three major obverse types: Crossed legs, Couch recliner, and Elephant rider. This is a crossed legs type with 4-armed shiva on the reverse:

 

And to go back to the Indo-Greeks again, King Menander Drachm in silver:

 

I'm looking forward to seeing your examples of the other Huvishka types and later coins. I have some that seem barbarous that need better ID.

 

Sure, to complete the Huvishka types:
Couch recliner/Athsho-


Elephant rider with Shiva-
(This is the Eastern mint style, Shiva has been wrongly named Ardochsho)

And some later ones:
Vasu Deva I/Shiva with Bull (Early series):


Kanishka II/ardochsho enthroned:


Vasudeva II or later barbarous copy:


That covers more or less the spectrum of the Kushan coppers over time i think.

 

great coins stevex and THC.

interesting variation in how "indo" or "greek" these coins are.

 

@chrsmat71: Agree, this variation between Hellenistic and "indigenous" or Indian you see in Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians and also Kushan coinage.
For example this is a Appollodotus II copper with a far more Indian character than your standing Apollo:

And that's part of why i like these series ! (And because they're a bit out of the ancient numismatic mainstream there are still bargains to be found )