Insane Sasanians as a Xmas gift...but need help with Identification please:)

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ryro, Dec 28, 2020.

  1. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Hey CT fam. My dad spoiled me this year for Christmas with some really fun stuff, primarily a grip of beauuuutiful Sassanids that I need help identifying.
    I think the first three are Khusro II (though, I don't know how to tell the mint nor date):
    Screenshot_20201227-163850_PicCollage-removebg-preview.png
    Screenshot_20201227-163921_PicCollage-removebg-preview.png
    Screenshot_20201227-163816_PicCollage-removebg-preview.png

    Then I believe this fella is Hormizd IV (though, it has the most wear):
    Screenshot_20201227-164005_PicCollage-removebg-preview.png

    This I think could be Ardaxšīr Ardashir III (?):
    Screenshot_20201227-164040_PicCollage-removebg-preview.png

    Oh, as well, I won this guy in a lot and believe him to be one of the Vologases I or III:
    Screenshot_20201215-104524_PicCollage-removebg-preview.png

    Any help, hints or pointing in the right direction is appreciated:)
     
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  3. Pellinore

    Pellinore Well-Known Member

    Great Dad! And you are mostly right, but nr. 5 is earlier, Kavad I.
     
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  4. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

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  5. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Thanks so much! And yeah, he is pretty awesome. He was the one who got me into ancients!
    Here is what I found on AC search for #5 (thanks again to your help):
    Kavād (Kavādh) I. First reign, AD 488-497. AR Drachm (28mm, 4.14 g, 3h). GW (Gurgān[?]) mint. Bust right, wearing mural crown with frontal crescent and korymbos set on crescent, ribbons and crescents on shoulders; star behind crown / Fire altar with ribbons; flanked by two attendants; star and crescent flanking flames.

    2 quick questions: Are the mint and date on these on the reverse flanking the two attendants?
    And any inclination on the last coin, Vologases I or III?
     
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  6. John Conduitt

    John Conduitt Well-Known Member

    I think the Parthian is Sellwood 78.5 (long pointed beard, earring, first line in Greek, 3 pendants, archer's seat is a horizontal line http://www.parthia.com/parthia_ident_drachm.htm). I have a similar Sellwood 78 with a shorter beard and without the archer's seat:

    Vologases III or Pacorus I, Drachm, 78-147AD
    upload_2020-12-28_18-53-12.png
    Ekbatana. Silver. 23mm, 3.44g (Sellwood 78.2).

    This page helps identify the Sasanians https://en.numista.com/numisdoc/identification-of-sasanian-coins-186.html. The ruler can be identified by the crown. On the reverse, the date is to the left of the attendants and the mint is to the right. The date is as here: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Sasanian Dates. I have two of Khusro II and they look much like yours:

    Khosrow II Drachma, year 33 (623AD)
    upload_2020-12-28_19-46-3.png
    Ahmatana (Hamadan). Silver. 33mm, 4.10g (Göbl type II/3).

    Khosrow II Drachma, year 37 (627AD)
    upload_2020-12-28_19-48-36.png
    Ahwaz. Silver. 32mm, 4.08g (Göbl type II/3).
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2020
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  7. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Yeah, Ardi III had a clean shaven face, (he was like 8 at the time).
     
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  8. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    Great Christmas present! Coins 1-3 are Khusro II, 4 is Hormazd IV, 5 is Kavad I. My takes on dates and mintmarks (which are found to the left and right, respectively, on reverse):
    1. LD (Rayy), date is in the twenties (first part is too hard to read)
    2. BBA (Court Mint), can't read date at all
    3. NAT (uncertain location in Kirman Province), year 7
    4. LD (Rayy), year 12 (maybe)
    5. mint probably DA (Darabgird)- it looks closer to DS, but I can't find any listing of a DS mint. no date on this type (there's stuff in the spot where a date would be, but it isn't a date. just ignore it)
    The Parthian coin is Sellwood 78.5, which Sellwood attributed to Vologases III, but Assar reassigned to Pacorus I.
    For dates and mintmarks on Sasanian coins, bookmark these two pages:
    https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Sasanian Mints
    https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Sasanian Dates
     
  9. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ...wow Ryro....what kool koins to get fromma Dad......fantastic!!...:)...
     
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  10. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Too bad @Ryro wasn't my kid. I just went through 50 VF/XF Sasanians last night, and still have about 200 more from group lots to sort through, not even counting "better" ones like Vahran I, Vahran II, Hormizd I, etc I own. I wish my kids are as excited and grateful as Ryro is to get them in the future. :)
     
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  11. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    This right here is why I LOVE CT! A literal wealth of knowledge on just about any ancient cultures coinage at the tips of my finger tips.
    Thanks so much all of you. My dad knows my collecting habits and I had been sleeping on Sasanians ever since I got burned and bought an expensive (to me) fake Parthian a while back. So, he goes and doubles my Sassanid collections size (even if half of them are Khusro II). He knows that identifying coins is the best:)
     
  12. +VGO.DVCKS

    +VGO.DVCKS Well-Known Member

    I wrote my go-to guy for Sasanian (and Islamic, and Phoenician, and Hellenistic ...etc.) about this, but it looks as if you guys, especially @Parthicus, kind of nailed it.
     
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  13. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    http://grifterrec.rasmir.com/coins.html
    I enjoy the above site which has a lot of material on Sasanians. Some material may be dated since its author passed away but it is free and has a lot of good charts and a thousand Sasanian photos.
     
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  14. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Thank you so much for the help and resources. From the forum article it looks like you are spot on withthe dates and mints that are visible!
    Back to the Parthian then. Do folks in the know prefer Sellwoods Vologases III or the more recent assertion that it's Pacorus by Assar?
     
  15. cmezner

    cmezner do ut des Supporter

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