Due to some financial constraints, it looks like my collecting for a while will be mostly limited to "snacks" , but that doesn't mean I will collect boring coins. Here's one of my most recent acquisitions: Kushan Kingdom, Kapisa mint (Kabul valley). AE tetradrachm. Kujula Kadphises (early 1st century AD). Obverse: Bust derived from the Into-Greek ruler Hermaios, blundered legend in Greek "Basilews Sterossu [sic] Ermaiou" (Of King Hermaios, Savior). Reverse: Herakles standing with club and lion skin, legend in Kharoshthi "Kujula Kasasa Kushana Yavugasa Dharmathidasa" (Kujula Kadphises, Ruler of the Kushans, Steadfast in the Law). Cf. Mitchiner ACW 2844-2848. Kujula Kadphises was king of the Kushans in Central Asia and Northern India in the early 1st century AD, though as with most events in central Asian history around this time, the exact dates are uncertain and different sources give different numbers. He is sometimes considered the founder of the Kushan Kingdom, as he united the Yuezhi (a confederation of five nomadic tribes, including the Kushans) by killing the heads of the other four tribes. He expanded Kushan territory at the expense of the Indo-Parthians, among others. A Chinese historical chronicle claims that he lived past the age of eighty, and he was the father of the Kushan king Vima Takhto (who struck the extensive "Soter Megas" coinage) and great-grandfather of Kanishka I. This coin shows a mix of Hellenistic influences (Greek language, portrait style, Herakles) with Indian elements (Kharoshthi script, reference to Dharma), which is also common on later Kushan coins. The obverse portrait and inscription are based on coins of the Indo-Greek king Hermaios, from the 1st century BC. This may be an attempt by Kujula Kadphises to associate himself with the glory of his predecessor. Interestingly, there is a mistake in the Greek, with the word "soteros" (savior) turned into "sterossu". This is not simply a mistake by one die-cutter, but is the standard inscription for this coin type of Kujula Kadphises. This may indicate that local knowledge of the Greek language was fading, or perhaps that the local dialect of Greek was evolving away from the Koine Greek then current around the Mediterranean. (I welcome input from someone who knows more about this.) The reverse title of Dharmathidasa (Steadfast in Dharma [Law]) implies Kujula Kadphises may have been a Buddhist; his great-grandson Kanishka I is known to have been a devout Buddhist. This coin was purchased from @TypeCoin971793 for $15, which I think was a very reasonable price. While this coin is hardly a gem, all the major design elements are clear, as is a good part of the legend. Post your Kushan coins, or whatever else you feel is related.
I know little about Kujula Kadphises but my first coin illustrates his copying coin types of Hermaios as mentioned in the write-up. Another coin came to me years ago attributed to Kujula Kadphises showing a figure sitting cross legged has, according to Wikipedia, more recently been reattributed to the later ruler Huvishka. I do not know the basis of the change. I find it strange that someone edited Wikipedia to reflect this change but did not change the caption of their photo of the type. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kujula_Kadphises The coin below came to me as Huvishka. I do not see these two as similar enough in style to make me comfortable with the matter. As usual, more study is needed.
Kujula Kadphises also imitated Roman-style coins! Kushan Empire. Kujula Kadphises. Circa AD 30/50-80. AE (17mm, 3.4 gm, dichalkon?). Obv: KOZOΛA KAΔAΦEC XOPANOV ZAOOV; Laureate Julio-Claudian style head right Rev: Khushanasa Yauasa Kuyula Kaphasa Sacha Dhramatidasa in Kharoshti; Kujula Kadphises seated right, raising hand; symbol to left. Ref: Senior B9.1. Said to have been purchased by the previous collector in Taxila August, 1963.
Here's a 15 buck Kushan snack! Vima Kadphises, AE Tetradrachm, 100-128 AD, Kushan Kingdom O:Greek legend, King in Kushan dress, standing facing, head left, hand over altar at left, trident in left field, tamgha and club in right field. R: Karosthi legend, Siva standing facing, bull behind. 28 mm, 17.1 g This thing turned out to be a disaster, BD and thick encrustations covering part of the surface. Since I treated it a couple years ago the BD has stayed away at least.
Here is a local imitation of @Parthicus' Kujula Kadphises tetradrachm. The Greek legend on the obverse is completely blundered and illegible: Kujula Kadphises, Kushan Empire, tetradrachm: local imitation, ca. 40–60 AD, minted in the Western Provinces? Obv: blundered Greek legend, draped bust (Hermaios imitation) right. Rev: Kharoshthi legend, Heracles standing with club and lion skin. 22mm, 8.29 g. Ref.: Mitchiner 1978, no. 2897–2903. According to Mitchiner 1978, these imitations were minted in the Western Provinces (maybe Kapisa or Pushkalavati), but he gives no further references or explanation. Does anyone perhaps know more?
Not 100% certain of its identity but I was told it was a local imitation of a Kushan coin. Unsure if I have the 2nd picture correctly orientated, it weighs 5.23g.
