2025-01-30 Thu

A Silver Dracham weighing 2.15g of Satavahana King Gautamiputra Siri Satakarni overstruck on the Drachm of Kshaharata Kshatrapa Nahapana sold for INR 27500 in an auction held in Indore on August 31, 2024.

Gautamiputra Satakarni was a skilled ruler of the Satavahana dynasty who constantly battled Nahapana, the ruler of the Western Kshatraps. He began issuing silver coins only after defeating Nahapana.

The Nahapana coin is notable for featuring three scripts: Bactrian-Greek, Kharosthi, and Brahmi.

Obverse: Traces of crude Greco-Roman legend around, overstruck by three arched hills with the crescent symbol and Brahmi letters “Rano Gota…” to the right.

Reverse: The Ujjain symbol is within a dotted circle or dynastic emblem of the Satavahanas, and traces of undertype (Brahmi and Kharoshthi legends and thunderbolt-arrow symbol) are visible underneath.