Watch List notes:

INDIA, Kushan Empire. Huvishka. Circa AD 151-190. AV Dinar (21mm, 7.96 g, 12h). Subsidiary mint in Gandhara (Peshawar?). Early phase. ÞαO(retrograde h)α(retrograde h)OÞαO OOhÞKO KOÞα(retrograde h)O, Huvishka, diademed and crowned, and holding spear in right hand and goad in left, on caparisoned elephant right / hÞAKIΛO down right, Erakilo (Herakles) standing left, wearing lion skin, holding club in right hand, Apple of the Hesperides in left; tamgha to left. Cf. MK 305A/269 (same obv. die/rev. type); ANS Kushan –; Donum Burns –; Triton X, lot 488 (same dies); Triton VIII, lot 679 (same dies); cf. CNG 115, lot 415 (for obv.; same die). Lightly toned, underlying luster, a few minor marks. EF. Well struck. the third known with only the two Triton examples in Coin Archives.

This coin depicts the god Vajrapani, Buddha's protector, as Herakles, assimilated through Gandharan art via the Parthian representation of Verethragna as Herakles (see Errington and Cribbs, eds., The Crossroads of Asia: Transformation in Image and Symbol in the Art of Ancient Afghanistan and Pakistan, p. 132, 134). The general obverse and reverse types of this coin are known together in bronze issues (Göbl type 886), but only separately on gold (Göbl 305A and 269). There are two aspects of this coin, though, that differ from the known issues. Unlike other issues depicting Vajrapani as Herakles, on this coin the deity wears the lion's skin rather than holds it. Also, the tamgha on this piece is that of Kanishka, thus suggesting an early issue of Huvishka. Certainly a remarkable addition to the numismatic legacy of the Kushans.