Only the Second to Appear at Auction

Sale: CNG 75, Lot: 705. Estimate $1500.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2007.  Sold For $1150. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

INDIA, Kushan Empire. Huvishka. Circa AD 152-192. AV Quarter Dinar (1.92 g, 12h). Mint II (B). 3rd emission. Nimbate, diademed, and crowned half-length bust left on clouds, holding mace-scepter and filleted spear / PIMO, Miiro (Mithra), nimbate and diademed, standing facing, head left, extending right hand in gesture of benediction, left hand on hilt; tamgha to left. Cf. MK 373/372 (O8/R44; unlisted die combination). Good VF, struck with worn obverse die. Extremely rare, only the second example of this type with PIMO to appear at auction, and one of three in private hands.

Eleven examples of this type were known to Göbl, with nine in public collections (BM [5], Oxford, ANS, Berlin, and Calcutta). Of the other two, one was offered at auction (Numismatic Fine Arts I [20 March 1975], lot 258), and the other was sold privately by Spink in 1980.