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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Parthicus, post: 16095952, member: 81887&quot;][ATTACH=full]1533956[/ATTACH] </p><p>Arab-Sasanians.&nbsp; AE pashiz (2.66 g, 21 mm).&nbsp; No date (c. late 600s- early 700s CE).&nbsp; Obverse: Cartoonish crowned bust derived from Sasanian prototypes, Pahlavi legend before bust LWBAK (current), uncertain legend behind.&nbsp; Reverse: Standing figure wearing flat headdress, hands extended out in prayer posture, uncertain legends to either side.&nbsp; Gyselen 88.&nbsp; This coin: Pars Coins Auction 31 (October 31, 2022), lot 354.</p><p><br /></p><p>As I&#039;ve discussed before, as the early Islamic Caliphate expanded out of its Arabian homeland, it initially copied the coin designs of its recently conquered enemies.&nbsp; In former Sasanian territory, this mainly consisted of silver drachms, which continued to bear Sasanian designs with just the addition of Arabic legends.&nbsp; Bronze coinage in the ex-Sasanian territory was more varied, however, with numerous varieties of both obverse and reverse designs.&nbsp; On this coin, the obverse design is derived from standard Sasanian portraiture, though with a simplified execution.&nbsp; The reverse type, however, is novel for Sasanian coins, and shows a figure standing upright and holding their hands out in a gesture of prayer.&nbsp; Unfortunately, the legends aren&#039;t very readable.&nbsp; The clearest part is before the bust and seems to read &quot;current&#039;, which is found on some other coins and presumably is meant to validate the coin for circulation.&nbsp; This seems to be a rare type- only one example is listed by Gyselen in her 2000 catalogue.&nbsp; This is not a very pretty specimen, but the reverse type is interesting, and I kind of like the artistic style of the obverse, it reminds me a bit of Celtic coin art.&nbsp; Please post whatever related coins you have.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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