I got this as a fake (which it definitly looks like), but wanted to make sure it was a contemporary. I know very little about these coins. I think I've seen a similar one posted here as a fake but cant find it, or any similar fake reports. Its 3.6 grams and 26mm
It does not look Sassanid at all, it looks Hepthalite. The reverse looks good, the obverse has the proper motifs its just the face looks a little weird. Go to Tom Mallon's site and try to find a die match for it. My first impression is its good, and hepthalite coins are much rare than Sassanid generally. Chris
Thanks! Like I said, I know very little about Sassanian coins even more so with Hepthalite. Do you happen to have a link?
Found this lol "HEPHTHALITE, c. 475-576 AD, billon drachm, G-200+, bust R, NEZAK MALKA in Pahlavi, crudely schematic portrait, BEWARE: THIS COIN IS A FAKE!!! " http://www.anythinganywhere.com/commerce/coins/coinpics/indi-hep-g200-1.jpg http://www.anythinganywhere.com/commerce/coins/coinpics/indi-heph.htm
its fake I bought it as one so no worries. Actually didnt even pay for it yet XD http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=71913.0
Ah, I thought the face looked weird, as I had never seen such a comical face. The reverse worries me, as it is done very well. That is about as good as the reverses get on these. Interesting, thanks for bringing it up. Btw: http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/coins.html That is Tom Mallon's site. Best site I know regarding Sassanid, Hepthalite, and other Central Asian coins. Chris
Had it been real I might have had to pass on it if it was to expensive. I guess its cast but hard to tell, for me. I'm pretty sure its silver and not plated which is why I wanted to investigate it. Thanks for the link
I'm not a believer in Randy's Hephthalite silver. There are a lot of this sort of thing that I believe to be genuine but they are bronze and very rarely have a clear reverse. The style here is strange but so is the style of the real ones - just strange in a different way. Certainly mine could be fake, too. I bought it from a dealer that thinks he knows more than I am willing to accept. I'll also post another Hephthalite type with even less reverse in billon. I bought it from a dealer I tend to trust but I really don't know if they know enough about the coins to be selling them. I know I don't!
FWIW, I have examples of both types of Nezak huns like yours Doug. They both look good to me. You are right, to someone unused to them both Randy's and yours look strange, but I have seen examples of yours many times, and are sold by the major dealers and listed in Mitchiner, etc as good.
