Lot 1043

Description

Huvishka, (c.A.D. 260-292), gold stater or dinar, (7.94 grams), obv. bust of upper part of king nimbate to left, wearing rounded decorated leather helmet set with pearls and central crest ornament and tight-fitting tunic, holding a mace in his right hand, legend around, rev. God Pharro standing to left, holding bowl with fire coming from it and a sword in his hand attached to side, behind legend downwards **F*APPO, (Gobl 202 [same dies 202.7], M.3200). Superb extremely fine and very rare.

This type was present in the Dr. Lawrence Brilliant Collection of Kushan gold, in the Spink-Taisei, Singapore sale 9 (lot 51 but not as fine). Pharro is the bestower of fire and wealth, the divine representation of glory and awe. The bowl is the vehicle for the bestowal of fire. His spendour distinguished the royal and the divine from the mundane and the lowly. It is Pharro who is associated with the flames typically represented as emanating from the king's shoulders on most Kushan coins.