Ancient - The Trilingual Nahapana Kshaharata and The Missing Silver.

50-75 AD? 130AD As Governor 50-95AD? As Emperor 95-100AD?
Nahapana as Emperor
Kshaharatas of Saurashtra
AR Karshapana 16 mm x 1.85 g
ref:Bop. 139, #3, M1253
Nahapana is one of the most fascinating rulers I have come across, while collecting the non-classical civilizations. These particular bust style coins are interesting in that it maybe the immediate proto-type style for the successor empires for the next 600 or so years.
Nahapana coinage its self is rather short lived. Many of his coins were overstruck by the Satavahanas, from Central India. The territorial expanse of this obscure dynasty grew to include large swaths of North / West coastal India He was said to be killed in the 18 year of his reign. Through an unknown relationship with Chastana a successor?, son by marriage?,a general?) The Satavahanas were subjugated and The long standing Western Kshatrapas ruled western India for nearly 400 years, until the rise of the Gupta Empire in the late 4th early 5th century AD.

The coin is of about 92-94% silver purity 2.00 grams and 15-18 mm in diameter. The coin features The bust of Nahapana right with a visible collar and wearing a satrapal cap. Surrounded by broken corrupt Greek legend. PANNIW SAHARATAC NAHAOANC, the reverse features an arrow pointing downwards to the left and a thunderbolt between, with two inscriptions. One is Brahmi RaJnoKsattaRataSa NaHa RaTaSa and the other is Kharoshti RANO KSAHARATASA NATHAPATASA. (The Raja Nahapana Kshaharata). The coin really is a blending of coin types, most similar to coins of the Indo-Greek king Apollodotos II.

His coins were circulated until about 130 AD with several bust styles and it is thought that the extreme scarcity of Roman silver in India could be related to his coins. It has been postulated that Roman silver coins were melted down and re-coined in the likeness of Nahapana.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

To bad I didn't get one with a nice obverse legend but beggars can't be choosers.

 

Thanks for the lesson Anoob. I now know something about these coins, albeit, what I just read.

 

Well I am glad you found it interesting.

 

well, i might was well comment again....that is a pretty awesome coin.
just don't ask me to say, " Nahapana, of the Kshaharatas of Saurashtra" three times fast....or one time slow for that matter.

 

Another fascinating post, NoobieDoo . The education and research information make this so much more interesting.

 

I know that feeling - scarce issues from an obscure empire - you take what you can get. But overall it's a gorgeous, distinctive coin.

The title of your thread is intriguing, but I'm not sure I understand. Did Nahapana speak three languages? Does the missing silver refer to the melted-down and/or overstruck coins?

 

What Nahapana spoke is as far as I know unclear. He was described as belonging to a group of people called the Indo-Sakas, who are somehow related to or descendent from the Indo-Scythians. I believe the understanding is that they were an Iranian speaking tribe, but I am still educating myself in these coins so...

 

Fair enough. I know how tough it can be to track down info on less well-studied cultures and their coinages.

 

The missing silver does refer to the missing Roman silver in India, if that clarifies. I found that extremely fascinating.

 

Those overstriking guys weren't very kind to future numismatists. Trajan evidently overstruck many Nabataean silvers when he incorporated Provincia Arabia, which probably contributes to their scarcity.

Is your Karshapana scarce on account of the overstriking?

 

It was thought that the Indo-Sakas were vassals of Parthia, who eventually won their independence or became vassals to the Kushan...another loosely understood subject.

 

And, hey, since the Romans overstruck the silver coins of the cultures they subsumed, turn around is fair play, right?

 

The coins of ancient India, tend to be made once and then circulated for quite along period. Its really only in the period following Nahapana in which they started producing dated coins. The coins of the WS are all dated in SE years (Saka Era) starting in about 78AD. Located behind the bust, in Brahmi numerals.

 

Fantastic new coin, brother ... great eye-appeal (your photo-skilz are doin' it some justice!!)

 

Great read, fantastic coin super Phat...well done my young Ancient collector..

 

I am surprised noone has made a schnoz comment!

 

We're very PC around here, noob. It's not necessary or kind to make fun of anteaters.

 

Noob you pick up the most awesome coins from places that I never even knew existed. Stop it because if I ever get a lot of money you may be the reason I break my bank. And yes I will blame you. Repeatedly

 

UPDATE: upgrade! full weight 2.52 grams x 21 mm More Greek is visible on the obverse and the reverse is gorgeous, beautifully toned. Oh and cheap way cheaper then I paid for the first one, but It had to travel from India directly!