Yuezhi - Tribal Confederation

月氏 or the Yuezhi, but better known to us as the Kushan. A once destitute and subjugated nomadic people from a land deep in western China. They moved into Central Asia in the latter half of the 1st cent. BC. They destroyed the Greco-Bactrian kingdom that stood for nearly two centuries. They founded the Kushan Empire a super power that would last for the next two centuries, Greek art, language and numismatic themes remained popular culture in the era of the Kushan.

This coin is of a rare type I have been looking for on and off since becoming interested in the region. I have built a meager collection of tribal coins of the "other guys" of antiquity, and this coin I consider one of the jewels in that crown. It arrived today. It always bothers me when I pay "good money" for such a small coin. I justified this to myself, as it is rare .( as I have read in a few places.) I think the coin is in better shape then 80% I have been able to find pictures of, and that pleases me. So I consider it a fair deal. The coin is from a branch of the Yue chi ruled by Sapadbizes.

I found a tiny wikipedia entry and a few other sites for coins of this ruler.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapadbizes


Comments, additions, suggestions, corrections and the like are always welcome.

Yue-Zhi, Yue-Chi Tribal Confederacy
Sapadbizes
AR hemidrachm c. 20 BCE
14.6mm x 1.41g
Helmeted bust right, greek legend: CAΠAΛBIZHC /
Lion standing right, tamgha of hill & crescent above
Greek legend right and left: NANAIA
Ref: MAC 2824.

 

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VERY cool, have't seen that one before....i think i'm getting kushan fever again....dang it.

 

That is indeed a small coin! The bust looks oddly contemporary - as if he's wearing a safari hat.

 

The hat is a copy of earlier Greco-Bactrian design, itself is a variation of the Macedonian pakol. In this case I think it is supposed to be metal, similar to those used in the 19th by the redcoats. I like to think of it as a "Sherlock."

 

A pith helmet! It does kind of resemble that.

Sherlock's hat is called a "Deerstalker."

 

Can you take better pictures please... It's kinda hard to see (problems when using an 18" screen)

I love it!

I've got to get me a Kushan... OIH82W8

 

Cool coin. I only own some yueh chi bronze. You got me on this one.

 

Very nice Anoob, you never stop bringing us these great pieces...keep up the good work..:thumb:

 

Better Picture for Windchild

Here you go with a better lighting.


Glad you guys like the Yue-chi. I like it, I really wonder how rare they are?

 

That's a very intriguing coin - the second pic really accentuates the features. I'm also impressed with how round and centered it is for an ancient. Great find all around!

 

Thanks Anoob

:kewl:

:high5:

 

I see a few of the later issues with emperor VIMA TAKTO floating around for sale, but none of them look anywhere near as well-preserved as yours.

 

Soter Megas, (Vima Takto), are very common, as are the later issues that are all Kushan. All Yuezhi are scarce, there is not a single more common issue in the bunch.

Btw, it is too bad AN you don't live closer to Minneapolis. I do think you would have liked the talk I am giving this month on Huns. I am considering a talk on either Yuezhi/Kushans or Sogdians for next year's calendar. Either those, or combine with another Sassanid collector and just have a great big ol Sassanian night at the Twin Cities Ancient Coin Club.

 

Did Someone Say Vima Takto???

The Empire of the Kushans (Afghanistan, Bactria and North India Bordering China)
Soter Megas - The Great King
Vima Takto r.c. 80-90 AD
AE Tetradrachm 20.9mm (8.42g)
Obverse: Bust of Vima Takto with Royal Greek Headband and the Magic Stick (scepter) Three Pronged Tamgha behind.
Reverse: The Great King Mounted with Scepter and Corrupted Greek Legend BASILEY BASILEYWN SWTHP MEGAS- "The King of Kings- The Great Saviour."

Interesting Factoid I found- The king on this coin for the longest was described as the nameless king because the coins legend only says" The king of kings- the great savior in corrupted Greek script. In 1993 the discovery of the Rabatak inscription helped to place the name to face with a written list of his kingship and genealogy.
According to wikipedia (good ol' wikipedia)
"He is mentioned in the Chinese Historical Chronicle of the Hou Hanshu, in relation to his father Kujula Kadphises:
"Qiujiuque (Ch: 丘就卻) [Kujula Kadphises] was more than eighty years old when he died. His son, Yangaozhen (Ch:閻高珍) [probably Vema Tahk(tu) or, possibly, his brother Sadaṣkaṇa], became king in his place. He defeated Tianzhu [North-western India] and installed Generals to supervise and lead it. The Yuezhi then became extremely rich. All the kingdoms call [their king] the Guishuang [Kushan] king, but the Han call them by their original name, Da Yuezhi."[1]
The connection of Vima Takto with other Kushan rulers is described in the Rabatak inscription, which was written by Kanishka. Kanishka makes the list of the kings who ruled up to his time: Kujula Kadphises as his great-grandfather, Vima Takto as his grandfather, Vima Kadphises as his father, and himself Kanishka:"

 

That is also a beautiful coin! When you first posted this thread, I looked into the coins of this era and region a bit, and found nothing even close to that level of preservation - beautiful color, strong strike, well-centered. Just great!

 

You know what is weird though? You original coin has a reverse that is just about identical to an Indo-scythian bronze. I wonder how they attribute that one to Indo-scythian, and yours to yuechi, when they look like the same celator crafted them.

 

Honestly I don't have an answer for you but, I can supply a guess...

Maybe as the Yue-chi moved into the region and the local Scythians were also displaced. They then might have went into the mint and said, "you make coins, or I will spear you, same reverse but with my face".You have to remember that Central Asia at this time was like a great big game of musical chairs. Everyone looking for that seat when the music stops. I can share some other examples I found on COININDIA...

http://www.coinindia.com/galleries-sapalbizes.html

Can you post some pictures of your coins, or at least the one you have in mind.

 

http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/indoscythian/indoscythian_2.html

8th coin down, not the best pic.

Not disagreeing with the attribution, just thought the similar feature was striking. I have a better example at home but suck at pics.

 

I would suggest you try to take pics of your coins, I absolutely NEED to see them.

 

:u*meY:

More pictures of Interesting Indian Coins Please
:u*meY: