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BI Square Unit - Anonymous
| Issuer | Western Satraps (Indo-Scythian Kingdom) |
|---|---|
| Year | 100-300 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | PAIC - Pieper#838 |
| Obverse description | Irregular square flan exhibiting a debased Brahmi legend or symbol group occupying the central field, rendered in low relief with broad, worn strokes characteristic of late Western Satrap billon coinage. Three or four vertical strokes, possibly representing a corrupted royal name or honorific title, are arranged horizontally across the centre of the die. The surfaces display heavy patination with areas of residual silver wash, consistent with the billon alloy typical of this series. The field is otherwise plain, with no border or additional decorative elements discernible. The striking is off-centre and the flan edges are irregular, as is common for hammered issues of this period. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Plain square flan with a geometric arrangement of raised pellets or globules forming a cross or grid pattern in the centre of the field, a device frequently encountered on anonymous Western Satrap billon units of the 2nd to 4th century AD. A curved line or crescent element appears in the lower portion of the field, possibly a debased symbol derived from earlier dynastic iconography. The relief is low and the strike weak in places, with the flan showing the characteristic irregular, slightly concave surface of hammered billon coinage. No legend or border is present. The overall design is highly schematic, reflecting the reduced artisanal standards of late Satrap peripheral issues. |
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| Additional information |
The Western Satraps — Iranian-descended rulers who controlled much of Gujarat and Malwa for roughly three centuries — issued anonymous billon squares as a fractional currency running parallel to their better-documented silver drachms. These pieces circulated without royal attribution, likely serving regional or small-transaction functions where the prestige of a named ruler was irrelevant to the exchange.
Pieper 838 is a recognized reference point, but the series remains poorly die-studied relative to the named coinage.