A Pair Of Huh-What's From Where-Now (Soghdiana Silk Road Coins)

Search CCF Members

There are currently 100,871 users on this website.

Ever go onto a seller's store because you want to get combined shipping to make a good deal into a great deal, and get so caught up that you buy a few coins from places and people you had never heard of five minutes before? And get so busy researching that you lose the coin you wanted in the first place?

Well I did.

These are two little coins from a place called Sogdiana at the heart of the Silk Road. Apparently the only large oasis in the area, it became a melting pot of cultures; merchants enjoyed trade with other merchants from China, Hunnic tribes, Kushans, Parthians/Sassanians, and Greeks. Today we would call this area Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Samarqand, Soghdiana
Maybe 1st - 3rd c. AD?
AR scyphate "obol"
Obv: Extremely stylized bust left (the big thick vertical line is the nose)
Rev: Apollo (?) Standing, holding bow

These curious little coins are apparently imitative of "an Antiochus coin" but I have not been able to figure out which one.

Chach, Sogdiana
Anonymous AE "Early Rulers"
Ca. 300-500 AD
Bust left
Tamgha (tribal seal) surrounded by sogdian legend

Seller attributed this one to "Vanvan" but I have been unable to find a single other source to back it up.

Paid $30 shipped for both!

Feel free to chime in with any corrections or discussion--I know very little about these fun little coins.

Wow, super deal two nice coins. While I'm familiar with the first one I haven't seen the second type. Though the bust reminds me of Heraios from the Kushan series. Samarqand has been a city that has fascinated me. I remember the stories from Marco Polo and his travels on the Silk Road. Congrats on two nice coins.

Very interesting @finn! The first one kinda looks Celtic to me. I'm not doubting your attribution, but rather just noticing similarities in design.

Excellent pick-ups, Steve!

Search "Wanwan" (not Vanvan) at acsearch.info

You'll see several matches for number two.

Thanks Sap! I wouldn't have thought to check that spelling. I wonder how we know the name but not even which century these coins were produced?

And I agree the silver one does look curiously celtic. Maybe that's what drew me to it? It is hard to tell from the pictures, but the overall fabric reminds me more of a medieval coin than one from classical antiquity. These are about 10-12mm and usually under a gram.

nice...i'd love to get one of the little archer guys...i think it's imitating an apollo reverse from the seleucid coins...if I remember correctly.

i have this ugly chach coin...i like it....but I may be the only one. ;-).

i think it has the same symbol as yours...could be wrong.

Edited by chrsmat71
09/03/2016 4:03 pm

Report this Post to the Staff

I have a Sogdiana coin which is very much of Celtic style too.

Good pick ups, and your write up taught me a little about where my coin comes from.

What surprised me the most is that 5-10 years ago, these were considered "extremely rare" and priced accordingly.... until someone found a few huge hoards of them.

That must have ruined a whole lot of weeks!

My two coins are getting some more company!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/40-8285-41-...6415?txnId=0

Terrible shame that two of the coins have nasty tears... these are pretty fragile little coins, more so because they are not flat.

It's amazing how many different portrait styles these coins come in!

Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2021 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use