Not the type of ancient coin I usually buy but for some reason I did like it, so, I bought it. Hopefully the label is correct. Graded by NGC as Mint State. This was one of the longest and most successful trade routes ever. Items were moved from the Far East to Constantinople and other Major Mediterranean destinations. They were usually paid for with silver coins. One of these coins, a Silver Hemidrachm of Tabaristan, is now in my personal collection. A symbol on the coin is a fire alter, which represented their god (fire). They were the coins that merchants needed to purchase their valuable goods. Over the years, these small silver coins became very well-trusted and were one of the main coins used along the Silk Road. Tabaristan Hemidrachms were handed down through generations of merchants. They travelled from Constantinople to China. Despite the heavy circulation you would expect a coin like this to have, it is nice to have one in this nice state.
There are many of these in mint state. The hoard was not small. Some have better strikes than yours (compare the tops of the things flanking to altar) but this is a nice coin. I have no idea what grade mine is. Mine was $37 in 2017 from Frank Robinson who sold it without plastic. I prefer the Islamic legal version with a lozenge for a face but I also wanted one from another ruler who used a human face in the old Sasanian style. Note on this one that the right attendant is headless from an uneven strike. Quality on these thin coins is more a matter of strike than wear.
Very nice. I've long been tempted by one of these. They're not far off from the region where my wife is from. Nice versions are still very cheap, but if I bought every coin I wanted in this price range I would spend a lot of money...
Very nice, the Tabaristan series is a cool self-contained little set. There were coins issued for three independent rulers (the Dabuyid dynasty) and for 14 different Abbasid governors (plus one anonymous Abbasid type). Some types are very common, but some of the governors are rather rare. Interestingly, Sulayman was the only one to refuse to use the image of a human face; all the other Muslim governors were okay with a human portrait (and all continued to use the Zoroastrian fire-altar reverse). Here's my collection of the three independent Dabuyids: Farrukhan (711-731 AD): Dadburzmihr (731-739 AD): Khurshid (740- 761 AD):
@Collecting Nut...Very nice example!.... Not really started collecting in this area yet but do have an interest in the Dabyids..... .....Didn't know this so thanks for the info... Here's my only example as of now... Tabaristan ½ Drachm - "Ispahbadh of Tabaristan" Khurshid - 740-760 AD (Tabaristan mint 752/3 AD ) 2 gram Obverse-Bust right,crescent in right field, breast ornament with 4 pellets.Pellet above crown to right, Name in Pahlavi. Reverse- Fire altar with 2 attendants; star left and crescent right of flames.
