Watch List notes:

INDO-SKYTHIANS, Northern Satraps. Zeionises. Circa 45/35-5 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 9.62 g, 11h). Uncertain mint in Chukhsa (Chach). ANIΓOΛOY YIO[...]AMOY ZCIωNIΓOY, king in Parthian attire and holding whip right on horseback; Buddhist triratana ("Three Jewels") to right; ; uncertain Kharosthi letter between horse's leg / Manigulasa chatrapasa putrasa chatrapasa Jihuniasa in Kharosthi, king enthroned facing, being crowned with wreath by Tyche, standing left, holding cornucopia; monogram to left, bu in Kharosthi to right. Unpublished in the standard references. Minor find patina in recesses, areas of weak strike at periphery. VF. Of great rarity.


Bob Senior writes: 'The coin is a tetradrachm of Zeionises of unpublished type. See Indo-Scythian Coins and History (ISCH) types 130 - 132 for the obverse. This coin has very good Greek legends which indicates that it was struck very early in the reign of Zeionises – the regular coins get cruder the later they are struck, and the Greek becomes garbled.

Zeionises was the successor of Azilises, probably around 40/35 BC and the obverse design copied from his coins – see S32 - 37. Zeionises's father is mentioned on the coins – Manigula, and we know from an inscription that he was 'brother of the king' presumably Azilises. Zeionises would therefore be Azilises' nephew. The reverse has the King enthroned with City deity (same deity as on his regular coins) crowning him with a wreath. As such it is unique amongst Indo-Scythian coins.'