Sale: CNG 69, Lot: 842. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 8 June 2005.  Sold For $4200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

[Ancient] INDIA, Kushans. Kanishka I. Circa 127/8-152 AD. AV Dinar (7.99 gm, 12h). Kanishka standing facing, holding standard, sacrificing over altar to left / Nana standing right, wearing sword, holding sceptre and box; tamgha to right. Cf. MK 80 (quarter dinar); MACW -; Donum Burns 139 var. (legend). FDC, a masterpiece of engraving. Extremely rare transitional issue, the second known dinar of this type. ($5000)

This coin is the Dinar denomination of MK 80, and differs from the Burns dinar in that the legend reads upwards. These three coins are exceptional in that they all have a reverse type that is a standard for Huvishka, depicting Nana wearing the sword-like object while retaining the short form of the reverse legend (cf. MK 35 [Kanishka] and MK 299-300 [Huvishka]). Additionally, all three have one retrograde N in Nana's name. Two observations indicate that these coins were issued in the transition from Kanishka to Huvishka: the reverse die of the quarter dinar was used for an issue of Huvishka (MK 314), and one dinar of Huvishka retains the tamgha of Kanishka (MK 299) so was apparently struck with a Kanishka die.