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For coins of India, please visit 2200
YEARS OF COINS OF INDIA
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YEARS OF IRAQ COINS & CURRENCY
For coins of other countries of the Middle East,
please visit
our MIDDLE EAST COINS PAGE
The
Kushan Empire ruled the area from northern India through Afghanistan
into Central Asia in the first and second centuries AD. It
grew wealthy controlling trade centers on the Silk Road and on the
Indus River and had diplomatic relations with both Rome and
China. Until recently the actual name of its second emperor
was unknown. He was known only by the title on his coins
"Soter Megas", which translates as “Great Savior”. He thought
of himself as being so great, he did need to use his actual name. With
the discovery of a large stone tablet listing the names of the Kushan
rulers it is now known his name was Vima Takto who ruled from about 80
to 105AD. His bronze tetradrachm features a Greek style
diademed bust of the king on one side, and the king on horseback on the
other. It is an attractive, well-struck ancient coin. 
After the
split of the Kushan Empire around 230AD, the eastern portion became a
vassal state of the Sasanian Empire
is known as the
Kushano-Sassanians. It controlled parts of what are now
Afghanistan and Pakistan. It remained until about 350AD, when the area
was conquered by the White Huns (Hephthalites). These small,
crude copper coins, sometimes called a Drachm or a unit, were minted
between about 241 and 350AD. They are some of the last coins of the
Kushano-Sasanians. They are modeled after the Sasanian silver Drachm,
however are smaller, much cruder and made of copper. One side
features the
bust of the king, the other features a Zoroastrian fire
altar. 
At
its peak the Ghaznavids controlled a vast central Asian empire that
included Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern India as well as parts of Iran
and Turkmenistan. The founder of the dynasty was Sabuktekin
(Sabuktigin). In his youth he was captured in a tribal war
and sold as a slave. He was eventually purchased by Alptigin,
the governor of Ghazna, who so recognized his potential. He
later married the Alptgin's daughter. In 977 he
became governor of Ghazna, which became a semi-independent kingdom
within the Samanid Empire. He expanded his kingdom,
conquering much of which is now Afghanistan. He died in 997
after becoming sick on a military campaign. His son Mahmud,
declared full independence and further expanded the
territory. This silver dirham of Sabuktigin was struck at
Farwan in Afghanistan. One side cites the Shada (There is no
God but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger). The other side
acknowledges his Samanid overlord and the Abbasid Caliph. The
silver coin is approximately 17mm.
The
Bull and Horseman Jital was introduced by the Hindu Kings in Kabul and
Ohind (now Afghanistan and Pakistan) in the 9th century. One
side featured a humped bull. The other side a man on a horse
holding a lance. The coins became the standard for much of
Afghanistan and northern India. It continued to be struck for
hundreds of years by neighboring and successive kingdoms. It gradually
become cruder and more debased as each generation would copy the design
from coins found in circulation. These Bull and Horseman
Jitals date from around the 10th to 11th century. They are
made of debased silver and feature crude line drawings of the bull and
horseman. I do not have the time or patience to do an exact
attribution so am letting them go cheap.
Afghanistan
has long been a graveyard for foreign nations that tried to impose
their will on this unruly nation. Persia, Great Britain,
Russia and most recently
the United States tried, and failed. This
crude copper 1 Falus was issued by the city of Herat in Afghanistan
between 1826 and 1833. Herat was independent during this
period due to a civil in Afghanistan between the Durrani and Barakzai
dynasties. In 1837 the Persians, supported by the Russians
attempted to besiege the city, which was supported by the
British. After a nine-month brutal and bloody siege the
Persians gave up and withdrew. The day after the Persians
left the British began to assemble their Indian Army for an invasion of
Afghanistan in in order to install the British supported Durrani
claimant of the Afghan throne and remove the Russian supported Barakzai
claimant. The British conquered Kabul in 1839 and installed
their claimant to the throne. After enduring harsh winters, the British
forces, their families and camp followers were almost completely
annihilated during their retreat from Kabul in 1842. The
Barakazi's then reclaimed the throne of Afghanistan. 
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