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 Replies: 9 / Views: 1,339 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
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/SapadbizesComments, 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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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Awesome Anoob  Thank you for educating too, I know little about these but enjoy reading the info you post. Just how rare are these? I'm guessing very but can they be compared to anything more mainstream? I need to get some Kushans, they would bridge to my Chinese coins very nicely. |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Congratulation on finding this coin. Being from Western China were they Chinese or Caucasian?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
567 Posts |
They were Asiatic, originally descended from the North-Central and North-Eastern Asian steppe peoples.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4981 Posts |
wow...another fantastic coin AN. I'm starting to feel strange....i think I'm coming down with kushan fever again...darn it.  wish I could afford to treat it right now  |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
695 Posts |
A superb coin with a very interesting history behind it. Thanks for sharing, AN! If, like myself, you want to know more of the background and history of the Yuezhi peoples Wikipedia has a lengthy article at this link:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuezhi#OriginsBobbyH - it appears that the Yuezhi were the bridge between central Asia and China (Han). |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Quote:
BobbyH - it appears that the Yuezhi were the bridge between central Asia and China (Han). Oh dear, now I'm gonna have to start buying some, my poor wallet. Hope to have some 5 cash coins to show soon  |
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
I have an interest in Chinese history, I'm going to have to look into getting some of these now that I know the connection with China.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5155 Posts |
This is one of my favorite coins. Maybe one could consider this the earliest Kushan coin? Hum? I wonder how would catalog this coin. Tribal, Indo-Greek, Indo-Parthian, Chinese?
It really blows my mind to see a small fine silver coin with an east Asian fellow enveloped in a (legible) Greek legend imitating a Bactrian king. Oddly with the reverse of the goddess Nannia as a lioness who has a Indus origin. Interesting.
Edited by Ancientnoob
10/04/2014 4:48 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
That may be my favorite of yours so far. Well, after the Buddha silver :)
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Replies: 9 / Views: 1,339 |
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Posted 02/12/2013 6:07 pm
