Wazeba, circa 340. Argyros (Silver, 12 mm, 0.51 g, 12 h). ወዘበ-ነገሠ ('wzbngs' = 'Wazeba, king' in Ge'ez) Draped bust of Wazeba to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring; above, pellet in crescent.
Rev. ወዘበነገሠአከሰመ ('wzbngsʼksm' = 'Wazeba, king of Axum' in Ge'ez) Draped bust of Wazeba to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, within circular border; above, pellet in crescent. Hahn, Aksumite, 16.1. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 20b.79 (
this coin). Munro-Hay, AC, type 17. Rare and nicely toned. Minor marks
, otherwise, about very fine.
From the Dr. Stephan Coffman Collection.
Wazeba may have been a usurper in the later years of Ousanas I. Crucially, his coinage saw the first use of the indigenous Ge'ez script on the Axumite coinage.