Here is my latest little pretty. I have wanted one for a long time. I wish it were a little better style, and wish there weren't the soft spots, but a perfect example runs into the thousands on Vcoins. I bought this as part of a group of three coins from a poor photo, so that is why I was able to get it reasonably. Do I want more? Yeah, I would buy 40 or 50 if I could find them for sale reasonably. For some reason I just like this coin. There is controversy as to what the figure to the right is. Some say its his son, but most believe its the God Ahuramazda giving a laurel, (sign of power), to the king. I found a die match to this coin being sold at Kunker listing it as Gobl 86var. In hand it appears to be as struck, (and more lustrous than my photo), but with the strike weakness, (lining up opposite of major devices on the opposite side). I am thinking gVF. What do you guys think? Am I being too strict or too lenient? Btw the other two coins were Sassanids as well, but Khusro II and Peroz. Decent coins, but not this.
First and foremost - the coin is exceptional despite its flat spots. They cirtainly could be in worse locations, any of the three faces or the kings crown for example. If I were to guess grade based, on strike, height or the areas and the condition of the flan, I think it would be a solid VF, considering the coin is more lustriuos then what we can see in photos, maybe even a VF+. I would be less concerned with grade and more concerned with the fact that the coin is fabulous. Jugate busts are cool, no matter where they are from. I was reading in my Gobl that the Sassanian jugate busts were adopted from the Roman Denarius, appearing as early as Ardashir I. I would disagree and say, " hey what about the Nabatean people, the Jugate masters?" Your coin is neat and very enjoyable to look at, there is really alot to look at here. Taking a whack at the 3rd figure, I wouldn't guess Ahuramazda but rather the crowned prince. I make that suggestion based on the fact that in most cultures a god is depicted the same size or larger than the king. A smaller image would suggest someone of acceding the ranks. Unless my interpretation of the obverse is wrong which it could be. As I write this I wonder about the earlier Parthian coinage featuring Tyche crowning one of many enthroned regents. If the obverse is depicting a "close up" of the previous style reverse, than it is very possible it could be Ahuramazda, Tyche. Again just conjecture. Your coin is phat and I want it. If you paid a couple hundred for the coin I would guess you did very well.
Your coin is a die match for that Kunker coin but is nothing like Gobl 68 in style. I don't like it but do not know enough about the coins or Kunker to say whether that is anything to worry about. In better days I would ask Tom but for now all I suggest is compare to all the ones he has posted and see if you find any similarities. http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/sasania/sas_varII_1.html gVF is fair. What is the die axis?
Actually, the Ardeshir issue depicts a facing Shapur, his son. I do not believe there are any jugate portraits of Ardeshir and his wife. I could be wrong, but I do not recall any. A dual Ardashir/Shapur, (later known as "the great" and captor of Valerian), is also on my wish list. I have both rulers separately. Vahran II must have loved his wife, that is all I can say. He alone shows her on coins, on rock reliefs, everywhere his official picture was displayed he usually also had her alongside him. His coins started as he alone, but quickly adopted his wife at his side. Only later was a facing figure shown, then the last coins of his reign, like this one, showed the facing figure holding a diadem. Maybe I am being generous grading it gVF. Its always a temptation when you own the coin. From the bad seller pic I was hoping for a touch better, but while the coin is technically unworn, there are too many weaknesses in it.
The third figure looks like it has a more similar "hat" to Gobl 70, I must concede and say you all know more than I on these coins.
Die axis is correct, weight is correct at 4.24 grams. I am having someone else check it out for me professionally. I hear you, I was nervous too, but I have found similar headdresses, and similar reverses in SNS, just not married to the same coin. Seeing the Kunker listing has eased my concerns, but will follow up with a professional. Btw, no air bubbles at 32x stereo microscope, so if its fake its struck, not cast. I did spend some time on this last night, since its a slightly unusual crown. Like I said, I did find a crown just like it not counting the Kunker specimen. Tom Mallon does not have a die match for it either.
All Sasanians come in so many styles from so many mints that I am uncomfortable with most I bought in one way or another. These earlier ones don't have mintmarks like the later ones but I assume they come from too many mints for me to understand. Keep us posted on what you learn.
Will do. I am with you. I was nervous the first I saw this, but as I really dug into them, (isn't it great how owning a coin REALLY makes you study something), I saw great variability in crowns and reverses. The crudeness of this reverse also concerned me, but then I found an identically crude reverse both on TK Mallon's site and in SNS. So both of my concerns were separately calmed, and then I found the Kunker coin. That is why I posted it now. Still, I am going to follow up, (especially before my time to return expires). But yeah, many many mints made these coins, and there is more variability than first meets the eyes on these. Most crowns look like Nike wings on a hardhat, but there are at least a couple of published examples like this one. If you look close you see the hardhat, and the wings starting very slightly to the left of the hardhat. The reverse is kind of fun. If you look really closely, the figure on the left is the king, and on the right the queen. Their crowns give them away. It is showing both the king and queen sacrificing to the zoroastrian fire alter. Either way this coin has already taught me a lot. I will let you know if I find out more. Chris
sadly, I have zero-skilz with these coins, but I do think that it is a "fantastic looking" coin!! medoraman => I'm giving it full-points!! :high5:
Well, its official. I just found this coin in Sellwood. I should have check there besides Gobl and SNS. Unfortunately I found it in the documented fakes section. SOB! At least i know now so I can send them back. And so, the hunt continues....... I should get my sassanids out of the sdb just to post i do not have other crap coins. I feel like an idiot, I think i will stop buying bad photo ebay auctions.
Wow, that sucks. Sorry to here that. It fooled most of us. I'd keep it if it was super cheap but not for what you paid.
