A Trip Around the World through Time from my Second Ancient Coin (A Menander Drachm)

@Nathan B - thank you for your article.
My Indo Greeks were mainly collected before they
were so popular .



Indo-Greek Kingdom, Menander I Soter AR Tetradrachm. Circa 165/55-130 BC.

BAΣIΛΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ MENANΔPOY, Diademed and draped bust right, wearing crested helmet adorned with pelt and wing script / Athena Alkidemos standing left, wielding thunderbolt and shield; monograms to left and right, 'Maharajasa tratarasa Mendrasa' in Kharosthi around.

Bopearachchi Série 15B; SNG ANS 850-853; HGC 12 182.







Menander ca 160-145 BC. AE Square Chalkos.
Pushkalavati Mint.
2,80 gr. - 14,5x15,00 mm.
O:\ BASILEWS SWTHR MENANDROU around elephant's head right with bell around neck. R:\ Kharosthi legend around club, DHT monogram in left field, A in right field.

 

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Doug, I forgot to say that you coins are nice, too--especially the drachm. It's very hard to find well centered Menander drachms--at least, it has been for me.

On another note, the thought occurs to me that maybe there is a linguistic change that causes "me-na-dra-sa" to be rendered as "menandrasa" in transliteration. I wish I knew Prakrit!

 

Thank you, Robinjojo! I appreciate the kind word and also the welcome back. And I appreciate what you wrote about these coins, too. I really like your Eucratides obol, and I very much look forward to your next photographs.

 

Thank you, Eparch. Those are beautiful coins, and the chalkous is in really nice shape compared to the ones that I have seen for sale. You must be happy to have picked them up when (I assume) prices were lower, and in any case, I'm glad that you have them, can enjoy them, and that you've shared them here.

 

Wow, thank you! I focus on the History, and fill up my collection with cool coins representing them. To me, "Read the Book" is not so much a coin book, rather a History Book. Unfortunately, I do NOT have the depth of knowledge in this area, but I keep getting more and more fascinated. I have a few other coins from these areas:

I have several AR square(ish) punch coins from the Indo area, but @ominus1 turned me on to an AE version, gifting me this cool piece of everyday change!


Indian AE Square Fractional Karshapana punch 125 BCE 9.0x8.2mm 0.86g Ominus1



INDIA Sunga Dynasty 187-78 BCE Cast Copper 1-2 Karshapana 15mm 2.5g Elephant flag swastika taurine symbol - Tree 3-arched hill hollow cross MACW 4378



INDO-GREEK KINGDOM Zoilos II Circa 50-40 BCE AR drachm 17mm 2.3g Athena Alkidemos l monograms Antony Actium SNG ANS 1654-1658

 

" To me, "Read the Book" is not so much a coin book, rather a History Book."

In case you dont know them already, I recommend the books
of Frank Holt on ancient Afghanistan and Bactria -
"Lost world of the Golden King"
"Into the Land of Bones "

A few more Bactrian coins :



Baktria, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Demetrios I Antiketos. Circa 200-185 BC.
AE Triple Unit 27mm, 12.96gm. Attic standard.
Head of elephant right, wearing bell around neck / BAΣIΛEΩΣ down right field, ΔHMHTPIOY down left, Kerykeion; monogram to inner left.
Bopearachchi Série 5C; SNG ANS 209-212 var. (monogram). HGC 12 67


Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Antimachos I Theos AR Tetradrachm. Circa 180-170 BC.
Diademed and draped bust right, wearing kausia / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIMAXOY, Poseidon, laureate, standing facing, holding trident and filleted palm; monogram to inner right.
Bopearachchi 1D; Mitchiner 124b; SNG ANS 276-7.HGC 12 106


Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Eukratides I Megas AR Tetradrachm. Circa 170-145 BC.
Draped and cuirassed bust right, wearing crested helmet adorned with bull's horn and ear; all within bead-and-reel border / The Dioskouroi on horses prancing right, each holding spear and palm; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ above, ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ below, monogram in right field.
Bopearachchi 6X; SNG ANS 472. HGC 12 131a


Indo-Greek Kingdom, Philoxenos Aniketos AR Tetradrachm. Circa 125-110 BC.
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANIKHTOY ΦΙΛOΞENOY, diademed, helmeted, draped and cuirassed bust right / 'Maharajasa apadihatasa Philasinasa', Philoxenos, in military attire, on horse rearing right; monogram to lower right.
Bopearachchi 5C; SNG ANS 1183-6; HGC 12 268.

 

Thank you.

 

Those three tetradrachms at the end are gorgeous, Eparch. The second last and third last, in particular, are what I was thinking of when I wrote that Baktrian coinage is among the most beautiful ever minted.

 

Well, this one arrived this morning so I am in the happy position to add an example coin to this thread. Affordable, good detail, and the heroic bust version. What more to ask? I will never get a heroic Eukratides (unless I win the lottery) so Menander is the way to go. It looks like he is getting the souvla ready.. I am in the mood for a BBQ now...



I don't really have much to add to the wonderful write-up by @Nathan B. I am just pleased to now own a really nice coin form this exotic era of history, the Indo-Greek interaction. Let me contribute by adding this podcast I found that might be of interest to some:



One thing I really liked about this coin, is that despite its small size, the relief of Menander is quite high. You can see it more here:

 

Thank you, Poor Old Man! I would LOVE to get a Eukratides coin with the Dioscuri on horseback on the reverse. Alas, I can't even begin to think about it right now, due to financial reasons. On the positive side, I do like my coin of Menander, and I like yours with the heroic bust, too!