bactrian imitation

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Muhammad Niazi, Apr 16, 2020.

  1. Muhammad Niazi

    Muhammad Niazi Well-Known Member

    Any idea about this coin, seems like a tribal imitation of a bactrian coin. Its one sided as the other side is blank.
    3.49grams

    IMG-20200416-WA0065.jpg
     
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  3. Pellinore

    Pellinore Well-Known Member

    Please show the reverse, even if it’s blank. And what’s the diameter?
     
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  4. THCoins

    THCoins Well-Known Member

    Looks like a mix between the portrait of Sapadbizes and the portrait on the standing soldier coins of kujula Kadphises. But these look to the right. Difficult to say whether this is an ancient or a modern imitation.
     
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  5. SeptimusT

    SeptimusT Well-Known Member

    A photo of the edge (hard to do, I know) might help rule out modern imitations. But there's a match on Zeno, sold by CNG and attributed as "Uniface AR Tetradrachm imitating Eukratides I of Baktria." Pretty close match, including the left facing portrait: https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=88660

    There is in fact an entire series of these uniface 'Scythian' drachms listed on there, all sold by CNG and perhaps from a hoard find? See here: https://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=6044

    Really neat piece! Have you encountered more, or just this one?
     
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  6. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    I have seen similar over time for sale. Some label Scythian, others Yuehzhi, others say Sogdian. I have seen enough that either a group of fakes got well dispersed or they are authentic. I really think we have no clue who made them or when, and very well could have been one small town making them for local consumption.

    Absent archaeological data, I doubt it will ever be known. Many such Central Asian imitations exist.
     
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  7. Muhammad Niazi

    Muhammad Niazi Well-Known Member

    The diameter is 18mm and the edge is free of any seam.
    IMG-20200416-WA0066.jpg IMG-20200417-WA0004.jpg
     
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  8. Muhammad Niazi

    Muhammad Niazi Well-Known Member

    Those look very similar indeed, thanks for the link. I just found this one and was pondering over wether to get it or not.
     
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  9. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    Eucratides is the first thing to come to mind.

    The local imitations of basically everything that isn't Roman, Greek, or Sassanian are woefully under-studied.

    Along the same vein, a few years ago I got this curiosity in a CNG lot of central Asian coins, imitating Indo Greek, but I have never seen another one since.
    Apollodotus ii barb imitation.jpg
     
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  10. Theodosius

    Theodosius Fine Style Seeker

    Cool coin, I love a mystery.

    I say get it! :)

    John
     
  11. THCoins

    THCoins Well-Known Member

    Here another pair of an Indogreek (Heliokles) Tetradrachm and its later local imitation.
    HelioklesWeb.jpg HelioklImit.jpg
     
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