In Kushan coinage the main coins issued was made of gold and weighed 7.9 g, later debased with silver, and base metal issues of various weights between 12g and 1.5g. Little silver coinage was issued.[1] Coins are little stylised, which makes them distinct from other coins, usually picturing a deity on one side and the king on the other. MacDowell (1968) identified three regional copper issues of Kajula Kadphises and Vima Taktu of separate coinage in their first issue, which would correspond to the three previous realms making up the Kushan empire. The northern area, Bactria which had the largest sized coins of 12g (tetradrachms) and 1.5g, Gandhara whose coinage weighed 9-10g for large and 2g for small, and the Indian area, where coins are 4g each.
MacDowell (1960) proposed a gradual reduction of all three issues starting with Huvishka, while Chattopadhyay (1967) proposes a rapid devaluation of the issue by Kanishka. It seems that there were two reductions based on the coinage of the rulers just named.[2] Later issues were unified into a central coinage system of weights.
Vima Kadaphises issued three denominations of for this metal, a two of 15.75 grammes, a one of 7.8 grammes and a quarter dinar piece of 1.95 grammes[3].
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