Indo Sassanian die match extravaganza!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Finn235, Mar 5, 2021.

  1. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    As some of you know, I have been quietly soaking up a moderately large hoard of very early Indo Sassanian drachms over the past year. I believe the hoard has finally been exhausted, and I received what will likely be my last piece of it in the mail yesterday

    ZomboDroid 04032021161922.jpg

    This one in particular is noteworthy not only because of its remarkable state of preservation, but because it is a double die match to *three* others in the hoard!

    ZomboDroid 30122020150947.jpg
    ZomboDroid 12022020213657.jpg

    (I'm unsure whether this is the same die, possibly with the lips re-worked, or simply a new obverse engraved by the same hand)
    ZomboDroid 31032020130014.jpg

    Flipping through my copy of Imitations in Continuity, I also found that all three are a die match to number 88
    20210304_162455.jpg

    But, to my even greater surprise, the same reverse die was used for this one, confirmed by the die break on the fire altar flames, and distinctive "sprinkle donut" sun
    ZomboDroid 31032020130122.jpg

    Which further links these to the same mint and timeframe, via a shared obverse die!
    ZomboDroid 13022020203029.jpg
    ZomboDroid 13022020202633.jpg

    Sadly the context of the hoard has been lost, but this discovery is at least a small piece of the larger puzzle, and has some significant implications for the timing of this much more common series, which shares some stylistic similarities with the newest arrival
    20180711_Indo-sassanian-1.1.7-1-24-3.72.jpg
     
    aleppo, tenbobbit, Pellinore and 4 others like this.
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  3. Claudius_Gothicus

    Claudius_Gothicus Well-Known Member

    Very nice writeup @Finn235! I must admit I know next to nothing about these coins, and yet I still really enjoyed reading your thread. It's always nice to see a fellow coin collector discover something new and important for his specialization.
     
    Finn235 likes this.
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