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National Museum Displays Thousands of Greco-Bactrian Era Coins

The National Museum of Afghanistan is exhibiting thousands of coins, many of them belonging to Greco-Bactrian era.

According to museum officials, from a historical perspective,  the Greco-Bactrian era coins are recognized as the most sophisticated and eye-attracting coins compared to other eras.

The first coins were minted in Afghanistan during the Achaemenid Empire in the 5th century BC.

The coins are minted in rectangular and circular shapes and feature images of the king and religious and political symbols from the Achaemenid era.

“We have here very unique and small coins which belong to the Achaemenid era. We also have a gold coin which weighs 150 grams and currently it is not in our collection, but it is kept in the museum of one European country,” said Fahim Rahimi, chairman of the National Museum of Afghanistan.

The first Islamic coins minted in Afghanistan go back to the Umayyad era.  and there are the verses of the Qur’an on these coins.

“I have visited the museum several times, but this is the first time that I have seen these coins in the National Museum of Afghanistan. These coins belong to pre-Islamic and post-Islamic eras. They are in different shapes and are created from different metals,” said Hamidullah Weyar, head of the Helmand Information and Culture Department.

“We also have the coins which were minted in Afghanistan, particularly in Badakhshan. There is one big coin which was discovered in a silver mine in Panjshir province and this coin is the most gorgeous one. There are also coins which belong to the Kushan Empire era. We also have coins from the Achaemenid and Sasanian Empire,” said Abdul Baseer Kamjo, who is In charge of the ancient remnants of the Kushan period artifacts at the National Museum of Afghanistan.

There are almost 20,000 coins currently kept in the National Museum of Afghanistan.

National Museum Displays Thousands of Greco-Bactrian Era Coins

The first coins were minted in Afghanistan during the Achaemenid Empire in the 5th century BC.

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The National Museum of Afghanistan is exhibiting thousands of coins, many of them belonging to Greco-Bactrian era.

According to museum officials, from a historical perspective,  the Greco-Bactrian era coins are recognized as the most sophisticated and eye-attracting coins compared to other eras.

The first coins were minted in Afghanistan during the Achaemenid Empire in the 5th century BC.

The coins are minted in rectangular and circular shapes and feature images of the king and religious and political symbols from the Achaemenid era.

“We have here very unique and small coins which belong to the Achaemenid era. We also have a gold coin which weighs 150 grams and currently it is not in our collection, but it is kept in the museum of one European country,” said Fahim Rahimi, chairman of the National Museum of Afghanistan.

The first Islamic coins minted in Afghanistan go back to the Umayyad era.  and there are the verses of the Qur’an on these coins.

“I have visited the museum several times, but this is the first time that I have seen these coins in the National Museum of Afghanistan. These coins belong to pre-Islamic and post-Islamic eras. They are in different shapes and are created from different metals,” said Hamidullah Weyar, head of the Helmand Information and Culture Department.

“We also have the coins which were minted in Afghanistan, particularly in Badakhshan. There is one big coin which was discovered in a silver mine in Panjshir province and this coin is the most gorgeous one. There are also coins which belong to the Kushan Empire era. We also have coins from the Achaemenid and Sasanian Empire,” said Abdul Baseer Kamjo, who is In charge of the ancient remnants of the Kushan period artifacts at the National Museum of Afghanistan.

There are almost 20,000 coins currently kept in the National Museum of Afghanistan.

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