Listed as Gobl Type VII as AE unit. Nowadays listed as a 6 chalkoi. 25 mm, about 10 grams. Just a copper piece of Ardashir and Shapur, (both later being termed "Greats"). Ardashir and his brother Shapur were the ones who defeated the Parthians and started the Sassanid empire. Shapur, (Ardashir's brother), died early on and it was up to Ardashir to finish defeating the Parthian's. So, its not surprising he named his first son Shapur. Here is Tom Mallon's great site on the coins: http://grifterrec.rasmir.com/sasania/sas_ardI_2.html
I would like it more if it where mine. I just recently posted the tetradrachm I have of Ardishir alone. So this time I share them in silver.
Nice find, Chris. Glad to see new posts from you My only Shapur: Sasanian Kingdom, Shapur I (241-272 A.D.) AR drachm O: Bust of Shapur I right, wearing diadem and decorated tiara terminating in eagle head. R: Fire altar flanked by two attendants wearing diadems and mural crowns. 4.33g Göbl type I/1
Oh, I have them, but much was from large lots or in person dealers. I cannot easily steal pics from those sources.
I would point out that all of these duel busts of Ardashir and Shapur a recent researcher has argued is not Shapur at all, but a local king also named Ardashir. I am still digesting this argument. On the face it doesn't make a lot of sense, since the Sassanids were the rulers who strongly moved away from sharing power, as was common in Parthia, to absolute central control. However, I cannot deny the fact that this duel bust arrangement of father and son was also quite unusual, and Ardashir did a lot of things with his coinage later rulers would not. Still, on the whole, I am unconvinced of the new attribution and will continue to think of this coin as Ardashir and Shapur until further evidence changes my mind.
As 'fate' would have it, I noticed this article from an old BAR magazine as I ritually began reading in bed before falling asleep... The photo I could capture but the narrative I couldn't. Essentially it mentions the usual historical stuff but also the following: "From the Imperial portraits on coins, we know that each Sassanid ruler had his own highly individual crown, the symbolism of which expressed his earthly and divine power.The base of Shapur II's crown---designed to resemble crenellated fortifications---was apparently copied from the crown of the Achaemenid king Darius the Great (521-486 BC).The crescent moon symbolizes the Zoroastrian lunar deity Mah. The serrated bulbous korumbos, which tops the crown was a feature of most Sassanian crowns. The tremendous weight of the Sassanian crowns could render them unwearable. A sixth century visitor to the Sassanian palace wrote that the king's crown was so heavily encrusted with emeralds, rubies and pearls that the crown had to be suspended above the ruler's head by a thin gold chain."
WOW, impressive info guys. I am not a Persian fan (studied a lot of their histories), but this is great detail about them. Thanks!
Just an update, and I am happy to say the seller is a pretty bad photographer. Much better detail in hand. In hand it appears the details are more like AN's coins in post #2 than my pic from the seller. Very happy with the coin.
