Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 117 19-20 May 2021
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INDIA, Kushan Empire. Vima Kadphises. Circa AD 113-127. AV Dinar (19.5mm, 7.86 g, 12h). Monolingual Greek issue. Main mint in Baktria. BACIΛЄYC OOh MO KAΔΦIChC, diademed and crowned half-length bust of Vima Kadphises right on clouds, flames at shoulder, holding mace-scepter in right hand; tamgha to left / BACIΛЄωC OOKNOTΔK(inverted Δ)OOY KOOÞ ÞΔOY YIOC (/i), ithyphallic triple-headed Siva standing facing, holding composite trident and goat skin. Bopearachchi, Premiers Série III, = Bopearachchi, Some 5 and p. 43 and Fig. A (this coin); MK –; ANS Kushan –; Donum Burns –. Deposits in devices, small scuff on reverse. VF. Second known.
From the Archytas Collection.
The Kushan royal genealogy contained in the the Rabatak inscription, which is dated to the reign of Kanishka I (see most recently, N. Sims-Williams, "The Bactrian Inscription of Rabatak: A New Reading," Bulletin of the Asia Institute 18 (2008), traces Kanishka's ancestry from his great-grandfather, Kujula Kadphises, through his grandfather, Vima Taktu, and finally to his father, Vima Kadphises. Soter Megas, a ruler, who was not listed in the inscription, but whose significant coinage cites him as ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΩΝ ΣΩΤΗΡ ΜΕΓΑΣ, was argued to be Vima Taktu (see Bopearchchi, Some, p. 42 and note 4). In 2006, the discovery of a hoard of approximately 4000 gold coins of Vima Kadphises and Kanishka I in Peshawar included some heretofore unknown types and denominations of those two rulers (see lots XXX below). Among the 90 coins personally examined by Bopearachchi, were several extremely rare and early issues of Vima Kadphises. Early, because their obverse legend is in Greek; this particular dinar is perhaps the earliest, because the reverse legend is also in Greek (see lot 362 above for an issue of Kujula Kadphises). The reverse legend, also in Greek, proclaims the direct filial connection – YIOC (son) – between Vima Kadphises and Vima Taktu (for the discussion of the translation of the reverse legend, see Bopearchchi, op. cit.). By announcing his lineage as "son of the Great King Taktu Kushanshah," rather that by the formula "son of the Great King Soter Megas," Vima Kadphises, through this extremely rare coin, suggests that the two were not the same individual.
From the Archytas Collection.
The Kushan royal genealogy contained in the the Rabatak inscription, which is dated to the reign of Kanishka I (see most recently, N. Sims-Williams, "The Bactrian Inscription of Rabatak: A New Reading," Bulletin of the Asia Institute 18 (2008), traces Kanishka's ancestry from his great-grandfather, Kujula Kadphises, through his grandfather, Vima Taktu, and finally to his father, Vima Kadphises. Soter Megas, a ruler, who was not listed in the inscription, but whose significant coinage cites him as ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΩΝ ΣΩΤΗΡ ΜΕΓΑΣ, was argued to be Vima Taktu (see Bopearchchi, Some, p. 42 and note 4). In 2006, the discovery of a hoard of approximately 4000 gold coins of Vima Kadphises and Kanishka I in Peshawar included some heretofore unknown types and denominations of those two rulers (see lots XXX below). Among the 90 coins personally examined by Bopearachchi, were several extremely rare and early issues of Vima Kadphises. Early, because their obverse legend is in Greek; this particular dinar is perhaps the earliest, because the reverse legend is also in Greek (see lot 362 above for an issue of Kujula Kadphises). The reverse legend, also in Greek, proclaims the direct filial connection – YIOC (son) – between Vima Kadphises and Vima Taktu (for the discussion of the translation of the reverse legend, see Bopearchchi, op. cit.). By announcing his lineage as "son of the Great King Taktu Kushanshah," rather that by the formula "son of the Great King Soter Megas," Vima Kadphises, through this extremely rare coin, suggests that the two were not the same individual.