Kushanas, Huvishka, c. 151-192, AV dinar, 7.74 g. (20 mm). Obverse: Crowned and diademed half-length bust facing left placed on clouds, halo around head, holding mace-scepter and hilt of sword, with Bactrian legend around. Reverse: CAPAΠO to right, Sarapis standing left, extending right hand in benedictional gesture and cradling scepter in left arm.
The Greco-Egyptian deity Serapis demonstrates most clearly the multi-cultural proclivities of the Kushans. As a specifically Hellenistic combination of the important and highly popular Egyptian gods Osiris and Apis (the sacred bull), Serapis represented the religious syncretism of the Greco-Roman gods with their foreign counterparts in the period following the death of Alexander the Great. The cult of Serapis was disseminated as a matter of deliberate policy by the Ptolemaic kings of Hellenistic Egypt. There is some indication that Serapis was popular in the Roman Empire; the apparent rarity of this reverse type suggests that this deity failed to achieve a similar level of popularity among the Kushans.
Extremely rare; three examples recorded by Göbl and four examples can be found in Coinarchives.
Near VF, with some scraping on and along the edge at 12 o'clock position, fine and clear legends.
Ex Chand Collection
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