Ancient - My first Sassanian - Khusro II

I discovered that there is a small monthly coin show in my area so naturally I had to go as soon as possible. Just got back and while it isn't anything special (usually 4-5 coin dealers and 4 -5 stamp dealers) and generally modern coins there was one dealer who had, as he said, around 1500 Ancient coins. Unforunately I couldn't see a lot of them because they were in a smaller room than normal (I am told) and he didn't have the back table where he usually kept his Ancient's since they don't sell as well as the modern coins.

Luckily one of the two boxes he did have out was right up my alley. All Alexandrian tetradrachms and Ptolemy's and then a couple Sassanian. I didn't have the cash with me to buy the Ptolemy's or any of the Tetradrachms but I had the urge not to leave empty handed so I channeled my inner AncientNoob and picked out a Sassanian I really like. It was also really neat to sit and chat with him since he had an excellent knowledge of a lot of things Ancient and was an archaeologist before he had retired plus had been collecting since the early 60s.

It was an awesome experience and I really enjoyed being able to hold the coins before purchase. I will definitely be there every time they roll in and apparently there is a big show in Winnipeg in November.

Anyways story time over. I am hoping ANoob will be able to fill me in with some more information on this coin but from what I can tell it is

Khruso II (590-628 AD)
Persia, The Sassanid Kingdom
Obverse: King Khusro II wearing hat, three moons and stars in concentric rings.
Reverse: Fire temple altar with 2 attendants. Concentrics rings, four moons and stars.

 

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I can only pay you a compliment on the coin, but there are a few Sassanian enthusiasts here, AN and medoraman - I'm sure they'll have something educated to add.

But it is a great looking piece, congratulations!

 

Nice attractive Khusro II. It looks like a later issue, somewhere around year 19. This is the most common sassanid ruler, but you picked out a very attractive one. Even those of us with 100 or more sassanids would be pleased to own that coin.

 

=> wow Whizb4ng, there is a coin show in Manitoba!! ... man, I'm jealous you live in the big city of Winnipeg!!



=> oh, and super sweet new edition!! (congrats, bro)

 

Gobl on hand...

Your coin. I think.
Gobl; no. 214 , Drachm, yr. 35- NYB .II/3
Nihavand in Media mint

 

A few things about using Göbl. First off, it is only a type catalog, and does not list every issue of every date from every mint, it only covers the major types. This type does share the same types as 214 in the plates, but with a different mint and date. In any case, it would be cited as Göbl type II/3.

The mint initials are DA, for Darabgird. I'll read the date later this week, if no one else does.

 

Thanks for the kind words and the info.

It surprised me too Steve. Even better is I live 2 blocks from the location. I look forward to this big show in November. This dealer was an awesome guy and I can't wait to see his full offer of Ancients.

Also where on the coin do I find the date and mint? Is there a basic website I could go to to learn more. I would love to learn more to better ID these coins in the future.

 

You can google coins and history of asia. Its a site by Tom Mallon. It is what got me into sassanid coins.

 

Whizb4ng, here is my Khruso II example (I love this coin)

 

Just for new guys Steve, I will clarify that coin of yours is extremely unusual. It was struck when the Sassanids took over Byzantine Alexandria, and they struck Byzantine coin types for the local population.

Just wanted to make sure everyone knew this wasn't a "normal" Sassanid. I love the issue too. I have a small one, but do not own a large one. A friend has both in EF, (yeah sometimes I hate that guy....)

 

I had one of him as one of my first purchases but it has squishy details throughout so I unloaded it. Dont miss it.

Yours is much better.

 

I have one, nice big coin,
Khusro ll..
591 -628..AD.
Silver Durham..
31mm x 4.11 g..

 

That's a beauty, Eng!

 

Thanks JA, i've been retaking my coin's before i post, this is an old pic, i will retake this one also.

 

Thanks for the extra-info, medoraman ... sorry, I didn't mean to short-change the coin-audience (I was merely posting the purdy coin)

=> here is the info associated with my sweet lil' coin (again, thanks for your help, medoraman):

Byzantine Empire, Sassanian occupation of Egypt
AE 12 Nummi / Khusro II
circa 618-628 AD
Diameter: 20 mm
Weight: 8.26 grams
Obverse: Cuirassed bust of Khusro facing, wearing crown with simple cross, star to left, C to right
Reverse: Cross on globe between I-B ... "alpha, lambda, epsilon, sigma" in exergue
Reference: DOC 191;SB 855
Notes: A very nice example of this scarcer type

 

Np Steve, I was just adding "color commentary". I haven't had time to photograph any newp's lately, so thought I could at least do that. Trying to help.

 

I was going to say Steve that looks awfully Byzantine. I like that a lot. It has the same draw that the Alexandrian tetradrachms have to me. The mix between the cultures on a coin.

Once again thanks for the coin compliments. This coin still hasn't gone into the hidey-hole with all the others I keep picking it up to take a look at it.

Also bonus the next coin show in Winnipeg is the day before my birthday. Time to convince the family to give me that birthday money a day early!

 

You missed my posts over the summer...

I've also became quite a big Sassanid enthusiast

Shahanshah Khurso II


AR Drachm
RY 25 (615/616 AD)
Ohrmazd-Ardaxšīr (AW) mint
Two rings surrounding, Pahlavi Script
Right facing, crowned bust of Khurso II
Three rings surrounding, Pahlavi Script
Fire Altar with two attendants

Hepthalite Counterstamp
Extra: Contemporary Hepthalite gouge in the reverse margin

 

My first Sasanian, bought at the Santa Clara Coin Show, September 6:


Sasanian Yazdegerd II (AD 438-457) Silver Dirhem
Obverse: Crowned bust of king facing right
Reverse: Holy fire-altar flanked by two attendants
Mint: Undefined, looks like "NWKY" or "Good"
Metal: Silver Size: 29mm Weight: 3.45gm Struck: AD 438-457

 

I too have gotten my first Sassanian coin. Mine is Shapur I. Of course he played a major part in a great ancient story- He enslaved Valerian I, used Valerian as a step stool to mount his horse and ultimately stuffed Valerian as a trophy.



PERSIA (Iran)
Sassanian Empire
Shapur I
AR Drachm A.D. 240-272

3.79 gms, 24 mm
Obv: Crowned bust right, wearing
earring; crown w/ earflap
Rev: Fire Alter with two attendants
Grade: aF nicely toned, attractive,
and completely legible (if you can read Pahlavi script)
Other: From Dr Saslow September 2013