Unique! Indo-Sakas in Western India, silver drachm, Damajadasri III (248-255 AD)

Description

Bust of Damajadasri III right, with corrupted Greek legend (Indo-Greek style), date in Brahmi numerals behind (171 Saka Era = 249 AD) / Three-arched hill or Chaitya, with river, crescent and sun, within legend in Brahmi Rajno Mahaksatrapasa Damasenaputrasa Rajna Mahaksatrapasa Damajadasriya. 16mm, 2.31 grams. "Studies in the Coinage of Western Kshatrapas" #- This coin bears a very clear date "171 SE" (249 AD). Until now coins dating to before 172 SE were not discovered and Damajadasri was thought to have started to reign only in 172 SE (250 AD). This coin is of historic importance and of great rarity. The Western Kshatrapas, or Western Satraps, (35-405 CE) were Saka rulers of the western and central part of India (Saurashtra and Malwa: modern Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh states). They were contemporaneous with the Kushans who ruled the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, and the Satavahana (Andhra) who ruled in Central India.