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Æ Tetradrachm - Vima Kadphises Bi-lingual
| Issuer | Kushan Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 100-127 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Tetradrachm (4) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The god Shiva rendered as a nimbate figure seated upon a large humped bull (Nandi), facing left in three-quarter view, with the deity's radiate crown clearly visible above. Shiva holds a long lance or spear upright in one hand while the bull stands in profile occupying the central field. A small circular symbol, likely a tamgha or dynastic emblem, appears in the left field. The Kharosthi reverse legend encircles the entire design in the outer field, providing the Prakrit equivalent of the obverse Greek royal titulature. The flan is broad and irregular, with areas of olive-green patina typical of Kushan copper issues. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | ND (100-127) |
| Additional information |
Vima Kadphises consolidated Kushan control over northwestern India and is credited with introducing the gold dinar to the empire's coinage system — yet copper tetradrachms like this one did the actual economic work, moving through markets from Bactria to the Ganges plain. The bilingual format, carrying both Greek script inherited from Bactrian predecessors and Kharosthi, reflects an administration governing populations with genuinely different literary traditions rather than a purely ceremonial gesture toward inclusivity.
Göbl 762 is among the better-documented types in the Vima Kadphises copper sequence, though die alignment varies considerably across the series.