I was at a local coin shop and came across what was represented to me as a "Sasanian Drachm, 5th Century." I did some research and I believe this is a Peroz I, Sasanian but the strike bothers me and I do not know enough to be sure it is authentic. Any opinions or thoughts?
Thank you Mat. I am thinking of making an offer on this coin. Shop owner said he couldn't say if it was real or not but he bought it from a collector he knew well and believed it was real because he trusts the collector's knowledge and opinion in ancients.
That coin is not a great strike, but I agree with @Mat , I don't see anything that makes me doubt authenticity. Areas of weak strike are very common on Sasanian drachms (though somewhat less common on Peroz' coins due to their thicker flans, but it still happens).
The strike is what bothered me most because this coin did not look similar to other Peroz I coins I was looking at. The weakness of the strike you pointed out explains the difference I was seeing. Thank you.
Peroz and most Sasanian kings issued coins from several mints. Your fuzzy photo makes it hard to say which yours is for sure but below is my AS (script reverse right). Every mint is a bit different and the strike problems makes every coin even more different. As a rule, I do not like purchases where neither party knows anything about the coin but I don't see any red flags here either. Others:
Nice coin, I don't see any problems. It's not rare, Peroz had a huge output of silver drachms because he had to fight a lot and had to be ransomed, too. You may find coins like these in shops starting from about 35 or 40 dollars.
My Peroz Peroz (459 - 484 A.D.) AR Drachm O: Crowned bust right, crescent on forehead. R: Fire altar with attendants and ribbon, star and crescent flanking flames; “Peroz” in Pahlavi to left, mint to right. 26mm 4g
I only have one thing to say after reading these comments: collectors of ancients on CoinTalk are second to none. Thanks to all of you.
