INDIA, WESTERN KSHATRAPAS: Rudrasimha I (c.178-197 CE) Silver drachm, as Kshatrapa. Dated (!) 111. VERY RARE, CHOICE and IMPORTANT!

Price

Price: US$ 750.00 € 642.07
£ 558.3
AUD 1155.38
CHF 594.38
CAD 1052.55
  • Ships from:
  • Rates for: 10/20/2025
  • SKU: w1.072a
Description
Obverse Head of king right, blundered Greek legend around, Saka era date 111 behind head
Reverse Crescented three-arched hill (chaitya), river below, crescent moon at left, sun at right, Brahmi legend around (at 8:00, clockwise): Rajno Mahakshatrapasa Rudradamnaputrasa Rajno Kshatrapasa Rudrasihasa
Date SE 111 = 189 CE
Weight 1.74 gm.
Diameter 15 mm.
Die axis 9 o'clock
Reference Senior 333.21
Comments
CHOICE example of a super rare coin of great importance in the study of the history of the Western Kshatrapas. Rudrasimha I issued a series of undated coins as Kshatrapa and then started dating his coins when he became Mahakshatrapa in SE 100. But here we have a coin in which he bears the title of Kshatrapa and yet it is dated 111!
 
Why Rudrasimha I issued coins as Kshatrapa well into his reign as Mahakshatrapa has been a subject of much puzzlement and debate in the literature on the history of the Western Kshatrapas. I have dealt with this question in detail in my paper A Simple Two Mint Model for Western Kshatrapa Coinage, Numismatic Digest, Vols. 32-33, 2008-09 (published 2011), pp. 33-78.
 
As far as I know, there are fewer than 5 coins known of this date and type. A rare opportunity for the advanced collector of Western Kshatrapa coinage! 
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