Rare! Silver drachm of Chastana Kardamaka (ca.78-130 AD) as Mahakshatrapa, Indo-Sakas in Western India (Fishman #4.9)

Bust of Chastana right with collar showing, wearing a satrapal cap, corrupt Greek inscription / Crescent on a three-arched hill over a wavy line, crescent in the left field, sun in the right field, two inscriptions one in Brahmi (Rajno Mahakshatrapasa Ghsamotikaputrasa and one in Kharoshti (RaNo ChaThaNaSa). 16mm, 1.93 grams. Fishman "The Silver Coinage of the Western Satraps in India" #4.9.

This is the rare type without Chastana's name in Brahmi, only showing his patronymic "Ghsamotikaputrasa".

Chastana was the founder of the Western Satraps' Kingdom and the founder of the Saka Era (Vikrama Samvat era), which is still used in India and in some other regions. Chastana ruled as Satrap until the fall of Nahapana in ca.100 AD, and after that as Mahakshatrapa ("Great Satrap"). The coins of Chastana are rare.