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Lot 829: India, Vardhanas of Thaneswar and Kanauji. Harshavardhana. 606-647. AR drachm.

AUCTION:  Triskeles - Auction 25 (Auction 332)

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  • Starting Bid: $300
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Description

Harshavardhana. 606-647. AR drachm (13 mm, 2.30 g, 12 h). Head of king left, wearing simple crescent-topped crown / Fan-tailed peacock facing, Brahmi legend around: vijitavanir avanapati sri siladitya. MAC 4933-7. Good very fine.

This is a coin of the famous king Harsha or Harshavardhana, who ascended the throne of Thaneswar, a small kingdom in present-day Haryana, at the age of 16, and then reconstituted the remnants of a large part of the fragmented Gupta empire into a single realm. He moved his capital to Kanauj and had an illustrious reign of over 40 years. Harsha's coins follow the madhyadesa type of the Guptas, with the fan-tailed peacock reverse and the same legend terminology. However, the style of the head on the obverse is quite different. Note the "Indian" style of the eye.

Lot Details
  • Offered By: Barry P. Murphy
  • Lot #: 829
  • Listing #: 176549
  • Closed: Friday, September 28, 2018 6:18:00 PM CT
  • Estimate: $500