First Kushan Gold Coin? – Unique and Unpublished

Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 368. Estimate $25000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $20000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

INDIA, Kushan Empire. Vima Kadphises. Circa AD 100-127/8. AV Dinar (7.88 g, 1h). Mint A. 1st emission. BACILEYC OOH-MO KADFICHC, diademed and crowned half-length bust of Vima Kadphises left on clouds, holding in right hand a mace-scepter over his shoulder, left hand on hilt; flames at shoulders, tamgha to right / “maharajasa rajadirajasa trarvaloga iśvarasa mahiśvarasa hima kathphśasa tradara” in Karosthi, ithyphallic Siva standing facing, holding trident in right hand, left arm resting on the bull Nandi, who stands right behind; Buddhist Triratana (“Three Jewels”) to left. Cf. MK 1/1 (same rev. die [R1]); Donum Burns -. VF. Unique and unpublished.

This unique and previously unknown dinar may well be the inaugural issue in the glorious series of Kushan gold. This piece shares a reverse die with Göbl's (MK) no. 1, which is then linked by another reverse die to Göbl's (MK) no. 2. Assuming that MK 1 and MK 2 are the first among previously known Kushan gold issues, and assuming the types were struck in succession, this new type must accordingly precede MK 1 and would therefore be the earliest of all known Kushan gold coins.