| Author |
 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,036 |
|
|
Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
The Alchon huns, were a people of the Huna group along with the Nezak Huns. The Alchon Huns were a Normadic people in 4th to 6th century AD, in Central and South Asia, first appearing in the Paropamisadae a district in Gardhaa expanding into the Punjab and Central India as far as Eran and Kamsambi. There presents in South Asia contributed to the fall of the Gupta Empire. The rulers were know as Tegins and practiced skull deformation which is evident in their coins. This coin is of the Tegin Narana-Narendra (may not be is actual name) who was the last Tegin @570-600 AD.   AE Drachm Bust of ruler wearing a diademed crown with the form of two tridents, he is holding a branch The reverse is no visible and usually is not on this type. It is not know whether a design is supposed to be there or not. AE drachm 23mm x 3.0g Kabul mint Reference Gobl Hunnen Em 150 |
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Nice addition, Ron! Tough looking fellow - no pencil neck geek there.
|
|
Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
They must have been a mean looking group.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts |
There was a hoard of this type in the market about a decade ago. I checked my photo files and none of the specimens that I purchased at that time had any trace of a reverse design (other than a slight bracteate-like incuse opposite the bust). The reverse of Alchon coins is often weak but I believe these were indeed uniface.
Edited by Kushanshah
06/18/2018 4:59 pm
|
|
Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
I haven't seen any clear evidence either way, but I would tend to agree that most likely it is uni-faced.
|
|
Moderator
United States
34425 Posts |
Nice coin and informative dicussion for me. Thx!
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
|
|
Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Thanks Dave. I know it's probably my eyes playing tricks, but it you look at the reverse it almost's looks like a mans face, looking right on an animals body. Something like you would see on some early Greek coins.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts |
Göbl's plates show 15 examples of Em. 150, 14 of which have reverses which appear to be completely blank. One (150.3) has a clear Sasanian/ Alchon "fire altar with attendants" reverse. Zeno has about 27 examples, of which I found three with reverses: https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=76990https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=152631https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=193123So, in a quick survey of some 53 specimens (Göbl, Zeno, my records, your coin), only 4 have distinct reverse designs! Now I'm back to being uncertain whether some are distinct "uniface" types or just badly-struck examples from a technically-challenged mint. Perhaps we're seeing the evolution of a series where the reverse was at first poorly struck and eventually abandoned? There is an interesting and apparently related type with a similar bust and the name Jayatu, so-called 'billon staters', on thick flans in white metal which are always uniface: https://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=8961Interesting. Thanks for sharing! Edited by Kushanshah
06/18/2018 7:30 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Excellent example, Ron! The Alchons ate the only major Hunnic tribe I don't have coins for yet... they are neither easy to find nor cheap!
As for the reverse, I have wondered if perhaps they engraved only a single reverse die, and simply used it until it wore completely smooth? Especially if they were operating on a shoestring budget, I could see them using the same anvil die for a few years or even longer.
|
|
Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
A few years ago a friend pickup several of these and I remember we had a discussion if they had a reverse or not. After doing some research the conclusion we came to was. Yes, no and maybe. I think we are back to the same conclusion now.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 Spain
2752 Posts |
Nice coin! Really like the portrait style Ron! Interesting post...
When I have time I'll look into these types a bit more .
Thanks for sharing Paul
|
| |
Replies: 10 / Views: 1,036 |
|
Posted 06/18/2018 4:39 pm
