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After Vasudeva II, Kushan chronology becomes extremely uncertain. There are coins that may be of several different rulers. One group of coins all carry the Brahmi legend
Shaka in the right field, in the same place where Vasudeva II's coins read Vasu, so it is natural to suppose that perhaps Shaka was the name of the king. A
further support for this idea is that there is a mention of one "Devaputra Shahi Shahanshahi Shaka Murunda" in Samudragupta's famous Allahabad inscription, as one of the
rulers who paid him homage. In this context, Shaka could be a title, it could refer to a tribe, or it could be a personal name. In any case, it seems to be related to the Shaka
coins. Unfortunately, we don't know the date of the Allahabad inscription, so the best guess on dating Shaka is c. mid-4th century.
The Shaka coin series is an attractive one, with one basic type, but with variations based on the Brahmi letters appearing under the king's left arm.
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Gold dinar, c. mid-4th century CE
Weight: 7.82 gm., Diam: 21-23 mm., Die axis: 12 o'clock
Crowned, diademed king standing facing, nimbate, holding standard and sacrificing at altar at left,
Blundered Bactrian legend around, Brahmi legend: Shaka at right, mi under arm /
Goddess of plenty Ardochsho enthroned facing, holding diadem and cornucopia,
Bactrian legend right: APΔOXþO, tamgha at left
Göbl 579 |
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Gold dinar, c. mid-4th century CE
Weight: 7.85 gm., Diam: 20-21 mm., Die axis: 11 o'clock
Crowned, diademed king standing facing, nimbate, holding standard and sacrificing at altar at left,
Blundered Bactrian legend around, Brahmi legend: Shaka at right, pa under arm /
Goddess of plenty Ardochsho enthroned facing, holding diadem and cornucopia,
Bactrian legend right: APΔOXþO, tamgha at left
Göbl 581 |
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This coin was reportedly previously in the Robert Göbl collection. |
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Gold dinar, c. mid-4th century CE
Weight: 7.79 gm., Diam: 20 mm., Die axis: 12 o'clock
Crowned, diademed king standing facing, nimbate, holding standard and sacrificing at altar at left,
Blundered Bactrian legend around, Brahmi legend: Shaka at right, bha under arm, vi left /
Goddess of plenty Ardochsho enthroned facing, holding diadem and cornucopia,
Bactrian legend right: APΔOXþO, tamgha at left
Göbl 584 |
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Gold dinar, c. mid-4th century CE
Weight: 7.85 gm., Diam: 19 mm., Die axis: 12 o'clock
Crowned, diademed king standing facing, nimbate, holding standard and sacrificing at altar at left,
Blundered Bactrian legend around, Brahmi legend: Shaka at right, aya under arm, vi left /
Goddess of plenty Ardochsho enthroned facing, holding diadem and cornucopia,
Blundered Bactrian legend right: APΔOXþO, tamgha at left
Göbl 585 |
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Gold dinar, c. mid-4th century CE
Weight: 7.88 gm., Diam: 19-21 mm., Die axis: 12 o'clock
Crowned, diademed king standing facing, nimbate, holding standard and sacrificing at altar at left,
Blundered Bactrian legend around, Brahmi legend: Shaka at right, bhri under arm /
Goddess of plenty Ardochsho enthroned facing, holding diadem and cornucopia,
Blundered Bactrian legend right: APΔOXþO, tamgha at left
Göbl 589 |
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Gold dinar, c. mid-4th century CE
Weight: 7.70 gm., Diam: 19-20 mm., Die axis: 1 o'clock
Crowned, diademed king standing facing, nimbate, holding standard and sacrificing at altar at left,
Blundered Bactrian legend around, Brahmi legend: Shaka at right, sita under arm, bha left /
Goddess of plenty Ardochsho enthroned facing, holding diadem and cornucopia,
Blundered Bactrian legend right: APΔOXþO, tamgha at left
Göbl 591 |
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Gold dinar, c. mid-4th century CE
Weight: 7.72 gm., Diam: 18 mm., Die axis: 12 o'clock
Crowned, diademed king standing facing, nimbate, holding standard and sacrificing at altar at left,
Blundered Bactrian legend around, Brahmi legend: Shaka at right, sayatha under arm, bha left /
Goddess of plenty Ardochsho enthroned facing, holding diadem and cornucopia,
Blundered Bactrian legend right: APΔOXþO, tamgha at left
Göbl 594 |
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