Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3044 3-4 January 2016
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INDIA. Kushan Empire. Huvishka (ca. AD 152-192). AV dinar (20mm, 7.96 gm, 12h). Nimbate, diademed, and crowned half-length bust of Huvishka left, on clouds, holding mace-scepter in right hand, left hand holding sword hilt / MAACHNO, Maaseno, standing facing, nimbate, holding bird-tipped and filleted scepter in right hand, left hand on sword hilt; tamgha to left. MK 298 (O31/R3). Donum Burns 271. Rare deity! A perfect specimen, deeply struck from fresh dies, with needle sharp detail and full mint luster. Certainly among the finest Kushan dinars ever offered. Fleur De Coin. Like most Kushan rulers, Huvishka is something of an enigma in terms of his character, personality and accomplishments. His rule was long and seemingly prosperous; although there was a substantial devaluation of the bronze coinage during his long reign, his gold coins remained of good weight and style throughout. Unlike most Kushan rulers, he employed several different obverse bust types on his gold coinage displaying a range of interesting attributes, among them the helmet-like rounded crown and mace-scepter, shaped like an ear of grain, seen here. While his predecessor Kanishka seemed to favor Iranian gods and goddesses, Huvishka was more of a nativist, the deities he honored being mostly Indian, among them Maaseno, depicted in exceptional detail here. Maaseno (also spelled Mahasena) was a Kushan version of the Hindu Skanda, also known as Kartikeya and Subramanya, a youthful god of war and victory.
Estimate: 15000-20000 USD
INDIA. Kushan Empire. Huvishka (ca. AD 152-192). AV dinar (20mm, 7.96 gm, 12h). Nimbate, diademed, and crowned half-length bust of Huvishka left, on clouds, holding mace-scepter in right hand, left hand holding sword hilt / MAACHNO, Maaseno, standing facing, nimbate, holding bird-tipped and filleted scepter in right hand, left hand on sword hilt; tamgha to left. MK 298 (O31/R3). Donum Burns 271. Rare deity! A perfect specimen, deeply struck from fresh dies, with needle sharp detail and full mint luster. Certainly among the finest Kushan dinars ever offered. Fleur De Coin. Like most Kushan rulers, Huvishka is something of an enigma in terms of his character, personality and accomplishments. His rule was long and seemingly prosperous; although there was a substantial devaluation of the bronze coinage during his long reign, his gold coins remained of good weight and style throughout. Unlike most Kushan rulers, he employed several different obverse bust types on his gold coinage displaying a range of interesting attributes, among them the helmet-like rounded crown and mace-scepter, shaped like an ear of grain, seen here. While his predecessor Kanishka seemed to favor Iranian gods and goddesses, Huvishka was more of a nativist, the deities he honored being mostly Indian, among them Maaseno, depicted in exceptional detail here. Maaseno (also spelled Mahasena) was a Kushan version of the Hindu Skanda, also known as Kartikeya and Subramanya, a youthful god of war and victory.
Estimate: 15000-20000 USD