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My first Kushan Kingdom - Vima Kadphises Didrachm (and a Book Recommendation)
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<p>[QUOTE="Marsyas Mike, post: 3744218, member: 85693"]I always enjoy the "why we collect what we collect" posts on CT, for they help clarify my rather incoherent thoughts on the subject. </p><p><br /></p><p>And so here's how I got my very first Kushan coin, which I bought on eBay from a seller describing it as "BYSTANTINE (<i>sic</i>) JUSTIN 1 - ANCIENT COPPER" I knew it wasn't Byzantine, but I was not really sure what it was, so I just watched it for months (it was a "buy it now"). Finally, after a little digging, I figured out the Kushan Kingdom part and pulled the trigger. I had no idea what size it was beyond the seller's "thicker than a nickel", and when it arrived I was slightly disappointed - I figured it was a tetradrachm, since they are the most common AE denomination. But this one is a di-drachm, which appears to be scarcer. </p><p><br /></p><p>After my size-disappointment, I found myself being impressed as heck with it - lovely workmanship, very "eastern" with the caftan and trousers, humped bull, etc. Nice greenish-black patina too. And so I found myself in a new collecting area, pretty much by accident. </p><p><br /></p><p>Sorry to blather on so. Anyway, here's the coin:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1004212[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Kushan Kingdom</b> <b>Æ Didrachm</b></p><p><b>Vima Kadphises </b></p><p><b>(c. 100-128 A.D.) </b></p><p>King standing sacrificing at fire altar, club, tamgha & axehead-shafted trident in fields, Greek legend around / Siva standing w. trident & deerskin, bull Nandi right behind, Kharoshti legend.</p><p>Göbl 763; MAC 3048-49.</p><p>(8.66 grams / 20 mm) </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Attribution Notes: </b></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Full legends:</b> BACIΛEYC BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC OOHMO KAΔΦICHC/ maharajasa rajadirajasa sarvaloga isvarasa mahisvarasa Vima Kathphishasa tratara </p><p><br /></p><p>Coins India (coinindia.com): "...the rare di-drachm or half unit. These are hard to find."</p><p><br /></p><p>The book I want to recommend is <i>The Silk Road</i> by Luce Boulnois (trans. Dennis Chamberlain). It was published in the USA in 1966, so it is an oldie, but as far as giving a clear, interesting overview of the Silk Road, I found it to be superb. Coins are mentioned, although not in a detailed way, but, in relation to the coin above, there's bits like this (c. 100 A.D.):</p><p><br /></p><p>"The (Kushan) king probably suggested that the Kushans and Rome should engage in direct trade. Roman and Kushan coins mark out for us the routes over which such exchanges must have taken place..." p. 70</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1004211[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Kushan, silk road stuff - or how you blundered into a new collecting area. Please share![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Marsyas Mike, post: 3744218, member: 85693"]I always enjoy the "why we collect what we collect" posts on CT, for they help clarify my rather incoherent thoughts on the subject. And so here's how I got my very first Kushan coin, which I bought on eBay from a seller describing it as "BYSTANTINE ([I]sic[/I]) JUSTIN 1 - ANCIENT COPPER" I knew it wasn't Byzantine, but I was not really sure what it was, so I just watched it for months (it was a "buy it now"). Finally, after a little digging, I figured out the Kushan Kingdom part and pulled the trigger. I had no idea what size it was beyond the seller's "thicker than a nickel", and when it arrived I was slightly disappointed - I figured it was a tetradrachm, since they are the most common AE denomination. But this one is a di-drachm, which appears to be scarcer. After my size-disappointment, I found myself being impressed as heck with it - lovely workmanship, very "eastern" with the caftan and trousers, humped bull, etc. Nice greenish-black patina too. And so I found myself in a new collecting area, pretty much by accident. Sorry to blather on so. Anyway, here's the coin: [ATTACH=full]1004212[/ATTACH] [B]Kushan Kingdom[/B] [B]Æ Didrachm Vima Kadphises (c. 100-128 A.D.) [/B] King standing sacrificing at fire altar, club, tamgha & axehead-shafted trident in fields, Greek legend around / Siva standing w. trident & deerskin, bull Nandi right behind, Kharoshti legend. Göbl 763; MAC 3048-49. (8.66 grams / 20 mm) [B]Attribution Notes: [/B] [B]Full legends:[/B] BACIΛEYC BACIΛEWN CWTHP MEΓAC OOHMO KAΔΦICHC/ maharajasa rajadirajasa sarvaloga isvarasa mahisvarasa Vima Kathphishasa tratara Coins India (coinindia.com): "...the rare di-drachm or half unit. These are hard to find." The book I want to recommend is [I]The Silk Road[/I] by Luce Boulnois (trans. Dennis Chamberlain). It was published in the USA in 1966, so it is an oldie, but as far as giving a clear, interesting overview of the Silk Road, I found it to be superb. Coins are mentioned, although not in a detailed way, but, in relation to the coin above, there's bits like this (c. 100 A.D.): "The (Kushan) king probably suggested that the Kushans and Rome should engage in direct trade. Roman and Kushan coins mark out for us the routes over which such exchanges must have taken place..." p. 70 [ATTACH=full]1004211[/ATTACH] Kushan, silk road stuff - or how you blundered into a new collecting area. Please share![/QUOTE]
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My first Kushan Kingdom - Vima Kadphises Didrachm (and a Book Recommendation)
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