Post-Mauryan Polities – Kuninda – Copper Coins

Cat No	Obverse	Reverse	Provenance	Wt/Diam	Comments
	Deer standing right with raised head; to right, goddess Lakshmi standing front, holding long-stemmed lotus in her right hand and placing her left on her hip.	Six-arched hill in center flanked by tree in railing and Indra-Dhavaja; above, nandipanda; below, river. MAC 4451-64 var. (The reverse symbols flanking the six-arched hill interchanged). Very rare with tree in railing to left and Indra-Dhavaja to right.	Leu Numismatik, sale 18, Lot 1750	2.41g ~17mm	Post-Mauryan (Punjab). Kunindas. Amoghabuti, circa 150-80 BC. Drachm AE MAC 4451-64 var. (The reverse symbols flanking the six-arched hill interchanged).
	Stag standing right; to right, Lakshmi standing facing, holding flower; vase(?) and naga symbol above stag	Six-arched hill; triratana above, to left, swastika above Indra-dhvaja; to right, tree within railing; snake or wave symbol below.	Classical Numismatic Group, sale 497, lot 363	2.06g ~23mm	Post-Mauryan (Punjab). Kunindas. Amoghabuti. Circa 150-80 BC. Æ AICR –; MACW 4454-61; HGC 12, 851
	Deer standing right and goddess Lakshmi standing facing holding a long-stemmed lotus, with traces of Brahmi legend around	Six-arched hill with nandipada above; tree-in-railing to left; swastika and indradhavaja to right; river below	Triskeles sael 26, lot 513	2.14g ~16mm	Amoghabhuti. Ca. 1st century B.C. Æ drachm MAC 4451-64.
	Deer standing right and goddess Lakshmi standing facing holding a long-stemmed lotus, with traces of Brahmi legend around	Six-arched hill with nandipada above, swastika and indradhavaja to left, tree-in-railing to right; river below; all within beaded border.	Triskeles sael 26, lot 982	2.54g ~18mm	Amoghabhuti. 1st century A.D. Æ drachm MAC 4451-64
	Deer standing facing left, six arched hill in front with lotus under it, the tree behind the Deer has four horizontal branches, Deer stretched horns are visible, vase with Srivatsa on right above on the back of the Deer and Indradhvaja below the Deer,	lord Shiva standing facing front, wearing a turban on the head, holding trident with axe in right hand, left hand akimbo, Leopard skin hanging from left arm, a lotus behind his left shoulder with Brahmi legend around "Bhagava(tah Chitresvara-Maha)tmana",	Marudhar Arts, sale 29, lot 22	17.50g ~25.2mm	Kuninda Dynasty (200 BC), Copper Tetradrachma, Chitresvara type, Handa # Pl. LXXX- 3-4
From Marudhar Arts: Shiva Chitreshwar coins are among the most enigmatic types of entire Tribal coinage of ancient India. First known in 1834 from Saharanpur in UP, this is a highly localized series of tribal coinage, known mostly from Garhwal-Kumaon and adjoining regions. Interestingly, Shiva, in form of a swayambhu linga is still worshipped as Chitresvara by the people of Gopeshwar near Almora in Uttarakhand. As per Hindu mythology, Chitreshwar (Shiva) is father of Kartikeya (Brahmanyadeva), a well-known figure from Yaudheya coinage. The legend on these coins i.e. 'Bhagavato Chitresvara Mahatmanah' means (coin of) 'almighty Chitreshwar'. There is absolutely no doubt that the word stands for lord Shiva, who is depicted on the coin. The British Museum collection of 11 such coins comes from Nelson Wright, Spink, Rodgers and Cunningham. These coins are generally struck on Kushana coinage module and seem to have been issued on two weight standards; 160 and 80 Rattis of 18.5 and 9.25 gms. respectively. Since being found, attribution of these coins has been debated. Some scholars were inclined to link these coins with Kunindas whereas others were of the opinion of the Yaudheya issues. This debate is far from settled but coming to similarities with Shadanan Brahmanyadeva type coins than Amoghabhuti coins, the Chitreshwar coins are closer to former rather than latter. Coins of Chitreshvara type are quite rare and only a few pieces are known.