Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XXII 7-8 Oct 2021
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Kushan Empire, Huvishka Æ Tetradrachm. Main mint, (Begram?), circa AD 151-190. Emperor diademed, head and torso facing, surrounded by radiate mandorla, reclining with right foot on kline / Emperor kneeling to left, with hands joined, before the goddess Nanaia, nimbate, standing to right, holding sceptre; tamgha between them. Apparently unpublished: cf. MK 845 for type, not illustrated but recorded as same reverse as MK 844 and 846; cf. MK 840 and ANS Kushan 880-935 for obverse type; cf. MK 844/846 and Cunningham 85-6 for reverse type. 9.78g, 24mm, 12h.
Very Fine. Apparently a unique and unpublished type.
From the Oxus Collection (Denmark).
Besides the two, now lost, examples known to Göbl and Cunningham with this reverse type (see A. Cunningham, Numismatic Chronicle, 12 (1892), pp. 117-118) only two other coins with the scene of the kneeling emperor and goddess are known. One was sold by CNG in 2008 (MB 78, 1054) upon which the figures have switched, with the emperor kneeling on the left and the goddess on the right. The second example was sold by Heritage in 2019 (Sale 3076, 33139) and follows the two recorded examples more closely.
Interestingly, this present example departs from the known specimens in a new manner. It uniquely places the tamgha between the two figures and the legend, although not entirely preserved, appears to vary from the other examples. It is unclear whether it matches MK 845, an unrecorded and unphotographed coin, but the unique combination of an established obverse type with an extremely rare reverse certainly fills an important gap in the coinage of Huvishka.
Very Fine. Apparently a unique and unpublished type.
From the Oxus Collection (Denmark).
Besides the two, now lost, examples known to Göbl and Cunningham with this reverse type (see A. Cunningham, Numismatic Chronicle, 12 (1892), pp. 117-118) only two other coins with the scene of the kneeling emperor and goddess are known. One was sold by CNG in 2008 (MB 78, 1054) upon which the figures have switched, with the emperor kneeling on the left and the goddess on the right. The second example was sold by Heritage in 2019 (Sale 3076, 33139) and follows the two recorded examples more closely.
Interestingly, this present example departs from the known specimens in a new manner. It uniquely places the tamgha between the two figures and the legend, although not entirely preserved, appears to vary from the other examples. It is unclear whether it matches MK 845, an unrecorded and unphotographed coin, but the unique combination of an established obverse type with an extremely rare reverse certainly fills an important gap in the coinage of Huvishka.