So I have wanted one of these for quite a while. With my other purchase bombing out, I figured I would splurge on this one. I like it because it has the king and queen on the reverse instead of two male attendants. This seller usually has a harder time photographing shiny coins. I would half expect a little more detail in hand. SASANIAN KINGS. Vahrām (Bahram) II, with Queen and Prince 4. AD 276-293. AR Drachm (27mm, 3.48 g, 3h). Uncertain ‘central’ mint. Jugate busts of Vahrām (Bahram), wearing winged crown with korymbos, and his queen, wearing kolah with boar’s head, right, vis-a-vis bust of Prince 4, presenting wreath and wearing kolah with eagle’s head, left / Fire altar with ribbon; flanked by Bahram and his queen, holding ring; fravahr to left of flames. SNS type VIIa(1)/5a(1b), style C; Sunrise 789. Good VF, areas of light toning, cleaning scratches, slight double strike on reverse.
Skilled celator. I love the curves on that queen in the reverse. She had quite the figure. What a uniquely beautiful coin.
Very nice artistry, especially the reverse. This is how most look, (but yours is fantastic). I would have been happy with it, but when given a choice I chose the one with the hot wife on it.
I think you know the answer by now Doug. Yeah, lots of variations. His reign started with him issuing traditional bust of king types, the evolved into king, queen, and "prince" types. I believe king and queen reverse was late in the reign. You can kind of see the possibilities when the description says prince 4. I will most likely continue to buy more as time goes on, but at least I have one I like for now.
Neato OP coin! I'd not noticed that some of these have the king and queen as a fire altar attendants! It definitely adds interest.
Fantastic coins!!! If I could only own one Sassanian coin, it definitely would be that drachm!! I LOVE it!!!
Very cool coin. I have to add that if my queen showed up at breakfast wearing a kolah with a boars head on it I would fall down laughing. Too bad kolahs are not likely to make a fashion comeback.
Lol, though if she showed up looking like she does on the reverse I don't think you would be laughing.
Great OP coin with those alluring curves. I used to think Sasanians were only using angular, stern and chaste forms. And now they turn out to be human, too.
The female figure on the reverse is not the queen. The image is of Varhran receiving investiture from the goddess Anahita. My collection, before I sold it, had 14 of this type. Yes, there is a great variety in the headgear worn by the queen and the "prince" on the obverse. On well-engraved specimens, it's apparent that the small figure on the obverse and the female figure on the reverse wear the same crown, leading some writers to identify him/her as Anahita also, rather than the crown prince.
The Varhran family group was my first Sasanian coin. Please note that the preferred spelling of the dynasty is 'Sasanian'. Even the English have come around to the proper spelling, and the only ones to use the double 's' are the French. Go figure!
Not the first, but most beautiful, was this, despite the double-struck reverse. (Not the Anahita type, but a double representation of the King.
