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Coins of Kushan Kingdom
The Kushan kingdom was created by a group of nomads from Xinjiang-Mongolia, when driven southwest by possibly the invading
Huns in the 2nd century BC, and existed for over 500 years. Here is a list of rulers or titles, still very much
a work in progress, and many of these dates are still very much in debate and all are approximate:
Kujula Kadphises: 30-80 AD
Vima Takto (?): 80-100
Vima Kadphises 100-127/8
Kanishka I: 127/8-152
Huvishka I: 152-192
Vasu Deva I: 192-225
Kanishka II: 225-240
Vashishka: 240-250
Vasu Deva I and Kanishka II: 250-300
Kanishka III: 255-275
Vasu Deva II: 290-310
Chhu (?): 325-345
Shaka: 325-345
Kipanada: 350-375
Vima Takto, son of Kujula Kadphises, is based on very recent research and is usually attributed to the Greek title "Soter
Megas".
There is a change during the reign of Vima Kadphises, beginning with the bilingual series, where the base metal issues are
described as AE Tetradrachm or AE Unit and associated fractions (Didrachm/Half Unit, etc.)
To see many more examples of Kushan coins, click
here for Thomas Mallon-McCorgray's site.
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Kushan Kingdom, Heraois, AR Obol, 5 BC-5 AD
(No legend)
Diademed, draped bust of bearded king right
HRAIOU / KORANOU
Soldier standing facing in military dress, head right, holding wreath
10mm x 13mm, 0.45g
Mitchener 2835
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Imitative type of Kujula Kadphises, AE Tetradrachm, 30-80, Afghanistan or "Western Barbarians"
Corrupt Greek legend
Diademed, draped bust right
Karosthi legend
Hercules standing facing, right hand resting on club, lion-skin in left
20mm x 22mm, 4.34g
Senior ISCH B6 type
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Afghanistan or "Western Barbarians", Imitative type of Kushan
Kingdom, Kujula Kadphises, AE Tetradrachm, 30-80
Corrupt Greek legend
Diademed, draped bust right
Karosthi legend
Hercules standing facing, right hand resting on club, lion-skin in left, cross
in upper left field
21mm x 22mm, 4.83g
Senior ISCH B6 type
Ex Midwest "Coins of Christianity" Collection
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Imitative type of Kujula Kadphises, AE Tetradrachm, 30-80, Afghanistan or "Western Barbarians"
Corrupt Greek legend
Diademed, draped bust right
Karosthi legend
Hercules standing facing, right hand resting on club, lion-skin in left
19mm x 21mm, 4.90g
Senior ISCH B6 type
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Imitative type of Kujula Kadphises, AE Drachm, 40-60, Afghanistan or "Western Barbarians"
(No legend)
Pseudo-Hermeaus type bust of king right
(No legend)
Hercules standing facing, right hand resting on club, lion-skin in left
16mm x 17mm, 1.45g
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Vima Takto or "Soter Megas", AE Tetradrachm, c.80-100 AD, Kushan Kingdom, Taxila
Diademed, draped bust right, five rays radiant from top of head, scepter in left hand, three-pronged tamgha behind
BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN CΩTHP MEΓAC
King on horse walking right, whip in right hand
Three-pronged tamgha symbol in right field
19mm x 20mm, 7.88g
Senior ISCH B17 type
Note: Soter Megas is a Greek title meaning "Great Savior", not the name of a specific ruler
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Vima Takto or "Soter Megas", AE Tetradrachm, c.80-100 AD, Kushan Kingdom, Taxila
Diademed, draped bust right, five rays radiant from top of head, scepter in left hand, three-pronged tamgha behind
BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN CΩTHP MEΓAC
King on horse walking right, whip in right hand
Three-pronged tamgha symbol in right field
21mm x 23mm, 8.53g
Senior ISCH B17 type
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Vima Takto or "Soter Megas", AE Tetradrachm, c.80-100 AD, Kushan Kingdom, Taxila
Diademed, draped bust right, seven rays radiant from top of head, scepter in left hand, three-pronged tamgha behind
BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN CΩTHP MEΓAC
King on horse walking right, whip in right hand
Three-pronged tamgha symbol in right field
21mm x 22mm, 8.51g
Senior ISCH B17 type
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Vima Takto or "Soter Megas", AE Tetradrachm, c.80-100 AD, Kushan
Kingdom, Taxila
Diademed, draped bust right, thirteen rays radiant from top of head,
scepter in left hand, three-pronged tamgha behind
BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN CΩTHP MEΓAC
King on horse walking right, whip in right hand
Three-pronged tamgha symbol in right field
19mm, 8.41g
Senior ISCH B17 type
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Kushan Kingdom, Vima Takto or "Soter Megas", AE Tetradrachm, c.80-100 AD, Kushan
Kingdom, Taxila
(No legend)
Diademed, draped bust right, seven rays radiant from top of head,
scepter in left hand, three-pronged tamgha behind
BACIΛEIC BACIΛEWN ETP
King on horse walking right, Nike in right hand
Three-pronged tamgha symbol in right field
20mm x 21mm, 8.28g
Senior ISCH B17 type
Ex Midwest Coins of Christianity Collection
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Vima Takto or "Soter Megas", AE Drachm, c.80-100 AD, Kushan Kingdom
Diademed, draped bust right, eight rays radiant from top of head, scepter in left hand, three-pronged tamgha behind
Greek legend
King on horse walking right, whip in right hand
Three-pronged tamgha symbol in right field
12mm x 13mm, 2.27g
Senior ISCH B17D type
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Vima Kadphises, AE Tetradrachm or Unit, c.100-127/8 AD, Kushan Kingdom,
Bilingual Series
Greek legend
King in Kushan dress, standing facing, head left, hand over altar at left, trident in left field, tamgha and club in right
field
Karosthi legend
Siva standing facing, trident in right hand, Nandi (bull) standing right behind
(Cribb series IIIa/C3), Nanipada symbol in left field
28mm x 30mm, 16.65g
Mitchiner ACW 3008, 3014-3016, 3028-3032, 3040-3043, 3047
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Vima Kadphises, AE Drachm or Quarter Unit, c.100-127/8 AD, Kushan Kingdom, Pushkalavati
Greek legend
King in Kushan dress, standing facing, head left, hand over altar at left, trident in left field, tamgha and club in right
field
Karosthi legend
Siva standing facing, trident in right hand, Nandi (bull) standing right behind, Nanipada symbol in left field
16mm x 17mm, 4.20g
Göbl Kushan 764
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Kanishka I, AE Tetradrachm or Unit, c.127/8-152, Kushan Kingdom
Bactrian legend
King in Kushan dress, standing facing, head left, right hand over altar, trident in left hand
Bactrian legend
Siva with four arms standing facing, nimbate, head left, holding trident
without shaft, thunderbolt, diadem and one hand is empty, four-pronged
tamgha in left field
24mm x 26mm, 15.55g
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Kanishka I, AE Didrachm or Half Unit, c.127/8-152, Kushan Kingdom, Kapisa
BACILEYC BACI_LEwN
KANHFKOY
King in Kushan dress, standing left, right hand over altar, trident in left hand
NANAIA in left field
Nanaia (moongoddess) standing right, symbol in right field
21mm x 23mm, 8.55g
Mitchiner ACW 3071-3073
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Kanishka I, AE Didrachm or Half Unit, c.127/8-152, Kushan Kingdom, Kapisa
BACILEYC BACI_LEwN
KANHFKOY
King in Kushan dress, standing left, right hand over altar, trident in left hand
NANAIA in left field
Nanaia (moongoddess) standing right, symbol in right field
21mm x 22mm, 7.96g
Mitchiner ACW 3071-3073
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Kanishka I, AE Drachm or Quarter Unit, c.127/8-152, Kushan Kingdom
Bactrian legend
King standing facing, head left, trident in left hand, altar at left, control mark in left field
Bactrian legend
Mao (goddess) standing facing, right hand raised, tamgha in left field
17mm, 4.52g
Mitchiner ACW 3161
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Kanishka I, AE Drachm or Quarter Unit, c.127/8-152, Kushan Kingdom
Bactrian legend
King standing facing, head left, trident in left hand, control mark in left field
Bactrian legend
Nanaia (moongoddess) standing right, symbol in right field
17mm x 18mm, 4.16g
Mitchiner ACW 3180
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Kanishka I, AE Drachm or Quarter Unit, c.127/8-152, Kushan Kingdom
Bactrian legend
King standing facing, head left, trident in left hand, patera (?) in left hand
over altar at left, control mark in left field
Bactrian legend
Nanaia (moongoddess) standing right, cornucopiae (?) in right hand, symbol in right field
18mm x 19mm, 4.97g
Mitchiner ACW 3180 type
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Kanishka I, AE Drachm or Quarter Unit, c.127/8-152, Kushan Kingdom, Kashmir
Bactrian legend
King standing facing, head left, trident in each hand, control mark in left field
Bactrian legend
Vado (wind god) with halo standing facing with two arms and hands empty, tamgha in left field
18mm, 4.60g
Göbl Kushan 818
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Kanishka I, AE Drachm or Quarter Unit, c.127/8-152, Kushan Kingdom
Bactrian legend
King enthroned
OHÞO ("Oesho"= Siva) retrograde
Figure, nimbate, standing left, attitude and attributes of Mao, but legend
of Siva
17mm x 18mm, 4.35g
Göbl Kushan 814
Note: Attribution provided by Pankaj Tandon on April 8, 2008 - "Mitchiner
is incorrect on this bring Huvishka I. In fact, the coin belongs to the
same series as the previous coin on your page of Kanishka I. Note that the
obverses are the same (you have the Kanishka obverse and reverse
juxtaposed). The best references are Göbl 814 for the Siva reverse and Göbl
818 for the Oado reverse."
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Huvishka I, AE Unit, c.152-192, Kushan Kingdom
Bactrian legend
King holding ancus, riding elephant right
FARRO
Pharro (god) standing facing, nimbate, head left, spear in left hand,
thunderbolt (?) in right, tamgha in left field
21mm x 24mm, 10.93g
Mitchiner ACW 3289-3290; Göbl Kushan 863 - 865
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Imitative type (?) Huvishka I, AE Unit, c.152-192, Kushan Kingdom
Legend of all O or circles
King holding spear in both hands, riding elephant right
No reverse legend
Miiro (?) standing facing, nimbate, head left, patera (?) in right hand,
four-pronged tamgha in left field, dotted border
25mm x 26mm, 9.13g
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Vasu Deva I, AV Dinar, c.192-225, Kushan Kingdom, Mint A
ÞAONONOÞOO BO-OONO VOÞONO
Vasudeva standing facing, head left, sacrificing with right hand at altar
at left, vertical standard in left hand
OHÞO
Ithyphallic Siva standing facing, crescent on brow, diadem in right hand, trident in left
hand, Nandi bull standing left behind, tamgha in right field, all in large dotted border
19mm, 8.22g
MK 504/3 (O1/R9A)
Ex Classical Numismatic Group - EF, slight die wear
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Vasu Deva I, AE Unit, c.192-227, Kushan Kingdom, Peshawar Series
Bactrian legend
King standing left wearing sword, holding trident above altar and second
trident to right
Bactrian legend
Siva facing, holding diadem and trident; and the bull standing left;
tamgha left, above arm
20mm x 23mm, 8.25g
Mitchiner ACW 3489
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Vasu Deva I, AV Dinar, c.290-310, Kushan Kingdom, Mint C (?)
Þ_AONONOÞOO BO-...-OONO VOÞONO
Vasudeva, nimbate, diademed, and crowned, standing facing, head left,
sacrificing over altar to left, holding trident in left hand, filleted
trident at left, nandipada at right, three pellets between legs, pellet in
upper left field, three pellets in lower left field, three pellets in
upper right field
OHÞO
Ithyphallic Siva standing facing, crescent on brow, diadem in right hand, trident in left
hand, Nandi bull standing left behind; tamgha in upper left field, three
pellets in lower left field, all in large dotted border
23mm x 25mm, 8.00g
Göbl Kushan 673
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Kushan Kingdom, Kipanada, Debased AV Dinar, c.350-375, Taxila-Gandhara
DaBaChaRnaTha / KiPaNaDa
Kipanada, nimbate, standing facing, head left, right hand over lit altar
at left, trident in left hand
(No legend)
Ardoksho, nimbate, enthroned facing, cornucopiae in left hand
18mm x 19mm, 7.56g
Mitchiner ACW 3584-3588
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| Kushan-Bactria:
Jouan-Jouan Issues |
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Kushan, Jouan-Jouan in Bactria, AE Unit, 195-230
(No legend)
King seated, legs crossed
(No legend)
Lunate moon-goddess Mao
21mm x 23mm, 9.05g
Mitchiner ACW 3357
Note: During the period between the end of Huvishka’s rule in northern Afghanistan and Sasanian rule, Kushan principalities were raided and occupied by
northern nomads known as Jouan-Jouan in 195 to 230 A.D. They struck imitation of Huvishka’s coins in light weight standard.
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Kushan, Jouan-Jouan in Bactria, AE Unit, 195-230
(No legend)
King seated, legs crossed
(No legend)
Lunate moon-goddess Mao
21mm x 22mm, 1.85g
Mitchiner ACW 3366
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