AFGHANISTAN COINS & BANKNOTES
A numismatic review of a troubled land.
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KUSHAN
COIN OF THE "UNKNOWN KING"
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.
Item
SOTER KUSHAN BRONZE TETRADRACHM, SOTER MEGAS (VIMA TAKTO) ca.80-105AD VF $39.95
ANCIENT
KUSHANO-SASANIAN COPPER
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.
Item
KUSHAN-SAS KUSHANO-SASANIAN COPPER
DRACHM,
ca.241-350AD G-CRUDE
$5.00
FORMER SLAVE FOUNDS
GHAZNAVID DYNASTY
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.
Item
GHAZ-SEBUK GHAZNAVID SILVER DIRHAM OF
SABUKTEKIN 977-997AD A-1599 Fine
$18.00
THE FAMOUS BULL &
HORSEMAN JITAL
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.
Item
B&H INDIA BILLON BULL & HORSEMAN
JITAL circa 1000AD VF-crude
$7.50
DON'T INSULT GHENGHIS KHAN!
Ala
ad-Din Muhammad II assumed the throne of the small central Asian
province of Khwarizm upon the death of his father in 1200AD.
He soon vastly expanded his empire, conquering all of Persia, creating
an empire that reached from the Aral and Caspian Seas to the Persian
Gulf. When the Caliph of Baghdad rejected Muhammad's claim
for formal recognition, Muhammad proclaimed one of his nobles as
Caliph. He then attempted to conquer Baghdad, only to have
his army decimated in a blizzard while on the way to Baghdad.
Shortly thereafter Ghenghis Khan sent his emissaries to establish
trade. Muhammad had them arrested and their goods seized.
Ghenghis then sent envoys to smooth over the matter, but Muhammad had
them executed. In retaliation Ghenghis marched into the
Khwarizmian Empire in 1219 with an army of some 200,000 bent on total
destruction and annihilation. Entire cities were sacked and destroyed
and the population killed. Over 2 million may have been
killed by the Mongols. Piles of skulls were left where cities
once stood. Muhammad fled ahead of the advancing Mongol
hoards, only to die of pleurisy on an island in the Caspian Sea in
1220AD. This copper Jital of Muhammed II was minted in
Kuzuwan. Like most in this series they tend to be off-center.
Item
KHWZ KHWARIZM EMPIRE, MUHAMMAD II 1200-1220 JITAL, Kurzuwan mint, Tye 246 G-VG-crude
$6.00/span>
HISTORIC
HERAT COIN
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.
Item
HERAT-1F HERAT, AFGHANISTAN 1 FALUS KMA45.1
1826-33 VG-Fine-crude
$7.50
BANKNOTES
FROM SOVIET OCCUPIED & TALIBAN AFGHANISTAN
In 1979 Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan and overthrew the
government. Despite their superior technology and air power
the
Soviets were only able to secure urban areas and some major
transportation corridors. Some 80% of the country remained
under
the control of guerilla and tribal bands. For the
next nine
years the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan took an increasing toll on
both Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. In 1989 the
Soviet
Union pulled the last of their troops out of Afghanistan and the
Taliban quickly took over the country, creating a breeding ground for
terrorism, the rise of Osama bin Laden and the creation of Al Qaeda. In
2001, in response to Al Qaeda's September 11 attacks in the United
States, United States troops invaded Afghanistan and overthrew the
Taliban government. Despite their superior technology and air
power the United States was unable to gain control over much of the
country. After 20 years, in 2021 the United States announced
it
was pulling out the last of their troops. Even before the
last of
the American troops left, the Taliban claimed to control some 85% of
the country. It seems history is repeating
itself.
This set of four attractive Afghanistan banknotes were introduced
shortly after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. They
continued
to be printed for the Taliban government until about 1991. The set
includes the 50, 100 and 500 and 1000 Afghani notes in crisp
uncirculated condition. The 50 Afghani pictures the
Dar-al-Aman
palace in Kabul. The 100 Afghani depicts a farmer and the
Naghlu
hydroelectric dam on the Kabul river. The 500 Afghani
pictures a
group of horsemen playing Buzkashi. Buzkashi is the national sport of
Afghanistan. It is somewhat similar to polo, but is played
with
goat or calf carcass and has few, if any, rules. The 1000 Afghani
depicts a flock of birds at the Mazar-e-Sharif Mosque (Noble shrine) on
one side. The other side pictures the monument to fallen
soldiers
and the Victory Arch in Paghman Gardens near Kabul. They were
built to commemorate Afghan victory over the British in 1919, heavily
damaged during the Soviet-Afghanistan war in the 1980's and have since
been restored. The notes all bear the seal of the Afghanistan bank on
the front. The seal includes an image of an ancient Greco-Bactrian
Tetradrachm minted circa 171-179BC, two cornucopias spilling out coins
and the year the bank was founded (1939). The notes are a
reminder of the recent troubled and violent history of Afghanistan.
Item
PM-AF-SET4 AFGHANISTAN 4 NOTE SET 50 - 1000
AFGHANI (1978-1991) UNC.
$6.00
BANKNOTES FROM
AMERICAN
OCCUPIED AFGHANISTAN
New banknotes were introduced in Afghanistan in 2002 after the American
invasion. The Afghani was revalued and new currency issued.
The new notes largely recycled designs from
previous issues. The front of 1 and 2 Afghani notes feature the emblem
of the Afghanistan Bank which incorporates an ancient Greco-Bactrian
Tetradrachm and two cornucopias spilling out coins. The back
of the 1 Afghani depicts the Mazar-e-Sharif Mosque (Noble shrine) which
was on the front of the previous 1000 Afghani note. The back
of the 2 Afghani has the Victory Arch that was on the back of the
previous Afghani note. The front of the 10 Afghani note has
the Mirwais Khan Hotkaki Mausoleum in Kandahar on the front.
The back has the monument to fallen soldiers and the Victory Arch from
the back of the previous 1000 Afghani note.
Item
PM-AF-SET3 AFGHANISTAN 3 NOTE SET 1 - 10
AFGHANI (2002-04) UNC.
$4.50
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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. 
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.
Ala
ad-Din Muhammad II assumed the throne of the small central Asian
province of Khwarizm upon the death of his father in 1200AD.
He soon vastly expanded his empire, conquering all of Persia, creating
an empire that reached from the Aral and Caspian Seas to the Persian
Gulf. When the Caliph of Baghdad rejected Muhammad's claim
for formal recognition, Muhammad proclaimed one of his nobles as
Caliph. He then attempted to conquer Baghdad, only to have
his army decimated in a blizzard while on the way to Baghdad.
Shortly thereafter Ghenghis Khan sent his emissaries to establish
trade. Muhammad had them arrested and their goods seized.
Ghenghis then sent envoys to smooth over the matter, but Muhammad had
them executed. In retaliation Ghenghis marched into the
Khwarizmian Empire in 1219 with an army of some 200,000 bent on total
destruction and annihilation. Entire cities were sacked and destroyed
and the population killed. Over 2 million may have been
killed by the Mongols. Piles of skulls were left where cities
once stood. Muhammad fled ahead of the advancing Mongol
hoards, only to die of pleurisy on an island in the Caspian Sea in
1220AD. This copper Jital of Muhammed II was minted in
Kuzuwan. Like most in this series they tend to be off-center.
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. 
