While helping my son pick out 10 coins ("How can I only pick 10 dad?!") to show his cub scout den for his collecting badge, he pulled this one out as one of the ones he wanted to show. This was one of the coins he received last month from a forum member to help him learn to better ID. He loves it for the size, the interesting design, and the beautiful rainbow toning that radiates from the center of the coin, which I was unfortunately unable to capture in my sub-par pictures. We realized then, that we have been unable to identify it properly. We weighed it (4.14g) and tried to guesstimate the diameter (approx 30mm). I showed him the crescent moon on the obverse and explained to him that it was an Islamic religious symbol. We decided to google "silver islamic 4.14g coin" haha...very scientific Lo-and-behold, it came back with some results that were fairly similar! With a few slightly more refined searches we were able to confidently narrow it down to a ruler. With that being said, we are not able to tell the mint or year. Now, both of those are listed on the envelope that the coin came in BUT we would like to be able to do it ourselves. Here is the coin and our Identification: Hormazd IV 570-590 AD Drachm, 4.14g Obverse: Bust of Hormizd IV right, wearing tall cap, crenellated crown with crescent and diadem tie below elevated globe, crescent at front, star left and right. Short beard, small ball of hair, moustache; diadem behind each shoulder, crescent on each shoulder. 1 ring, star and crescent symbols. Reverse: Fire altar with upturned diadem ties. Two facing attendants wearing crowns with globe, holding staff resting on the ground in front. Star left, crescent right of flames. 1 ring. We found here that his coins were dated 1-12 on his coin for the years of his rule: "Hormozd left no monuments. His coins portray him wearing a crown similar to that of his father but with a very high cap; they are dated to year 1 through 12 of his reign" We also found an example of the coin that is dated 590 here on the British Museum's website. Our inscriptions look quite similar but I'm not confident enough to say that they are exact. Does anyone have any website resources on these coins? We sure would like to see them if you have them! Also, if you have any drachms, please post them. We'd love to see them! Thanks for looking!
i think those Zoroastrian (coins) are kool..good thought good words good deeds..can't go wrong with that mind set in my book
For reading Sasanian mintmarks: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=sasanian mints For reading the years on Sasanian coins: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Sasanian Dates I have various Sasanian coins, here's just a few. Peroz: Ardashir III: Khusro II: Khusro I: The mintmarks and years are left as an exercise for the reader
Wonderful coin! I sure hope you'll share with us the 10 coins you 2 decide upon Here are a few of my Parthian/Sassanian drachms: OrodesI Hellenistic Monarchies, The Parthian Kingdom - 80-77 BC. AR Drachm (17mm, 3.35g). Rhagae. Bust wearing a tiara with eight pointed star in centre to left, with short beard / Archer seated right on throne, seven line inscription. cf S.7389, Sellwood 31.6. Former Kairos Numismatik Shapur II Sasanian Kingdom AD 309- 379. Drachm AR 23mm., 4,04g. Bust of Shapur II right, wearing mural crown with korymbos and inner ribbon / Fire altar with ribbon and bust right in flames, flanked by two attendants, each wearing mural crown with korymbos, legend on altar shaft. very fine. Former Savoca Khusro I: 531-579 (Sonof Kavad I) AR Drachm, Year 32 (563/564), Veh-Kavad pwzn | hwslwb Facing bust, head right, wearing merlon crown with tassel to left and surmounted by crescent with |||: inside single dotted-border, crescents at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock dwcsyh | WYH Fire altar with two attendants standing facing, wearing tall headgear, both hands on sword hilt, all inside single dotted-border Khusro ii Drachm, Year 14 (603/604), Ram-Hormizd GDH apzwt | hwslwb Facing bust, head right, wearing winged crown with star and crescent, inside double dotted- border, crescents with stars at 3, 6 and 9 o'clockAPD in lower-right margin chldh | RAM Fire altar with two attendants standing facing, both hands on sword hilt, crescents on heads, all inside triple dotted-border, crescents with stars at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock
A useful site was the work of the late Tom Mallon. I don't think anyone is updating it but it is available. This page may be of interest. http://grifterrec.rasmir.com/sasania/sas_horIV_2.html ..or you can work your was through the menus from here: http://grifterrec.rasmir.com/coins.html
The mint city is reverse right while the date is reverse left. Compare to these. Below is the same date but different mint.
So If I'm reading this correctly... The city it was minted in is Veh-Kavad, Central Iraq/Southern District, or WYH The year it was minted is 12. Which would be the 12th year of Hormazd IV's reign...so 590 AD. Very cool. Thanks all for the info and great looking coin pictures!
