Sasanian - Ardashir III

Tonight's 'new to me' is an AR drachm of the Sasanian king Ardashir III. A grandson of the most common Sasanian ruler Khusru II, the 8 year old Ardashir's reign started in one year and ended in the next for a total of about 7 months so we get some like this dated year two. I'm reading the mint as AY but I am not certain on this.

Ardashir's coins look very much like his grandfather's but he has no beard and there are a few other distinctions even if you do not read the legends. My bad attitude says why pay more for a coin that looks so much like a common coin but, thinking about it, coins of Tetricus I, Marius and Domitianus II all look a lot alike as well and we make a big deal about those differences. For comparison, below is a Khushu II drachm. How much more is a coin from a 7 month reign of a child compared to a 38 year reign of a major figure?

 

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Well, Khusro II coins are pretty common, I wouldn't buy any (I have 3 or 4) except for rare types. Ardashir III I have too, one drachm, I paid 90 dollars for it, and gladly, because he's a rare king, succumbed young to the murder that was rife in his time. Also, I find Khusro II a stupid man. But his coins got copied by his remaining family, and by the Arabs, and by the Huns, and those coins I like and gladly pay for.
The legends are easy to read if you have the Göbl book.

 

36 mm x 3.85 grams

 

I never got around collecting coins from them, should start one day, I only have seal stone from them see my best example, very difficult business many fakes are created.

 

Nice, that's a sweet Ardashir III addition, Mentor (congrats) ...

I don't have any examples of this guy, but I do have a not so common example showing his grandson, Khurso-II




=> oh, and I also have a Sasanian Kingdom example of Peroz I



... hoping these guys are welcome in your Sassy coin-thread?

 

Anoob: What is your reading of this mint?

 

If I were allowed only one coin to represent all Sasanians, I might like a Peroz like Steve's. They are hefty, well made coins - lovely to see, fun to hold - compared to the thin later ones.

 

This is my drachm of king Khosrow I (531-579), nicknamed Anushirvan, With The Immortal Soul, possibly one of the best kings ever. Mint Ardashir Khurra (Firuzabad), date 22 = 552.

 

i still only have 1 true sassanian coin!

grandpa...

 

I read the mint as AY as well. I believe this is the same coin mint and date as yours.

 

I see why you would choose a nice "mid point" but I ike Shapur I not really representative of the hole series but I think he did it quite well.

 

Shapur I looks really great on his coins.

 

On this picture, we see Hormizd IV, the father of Khosrow II; then Khosrow himself with an ugly portrait, Khosrow with a fine portrait, and Ardashir III, the baby King. The first and the third coins have ominous c/ms: countermarking usually means downwards trodding and conquering.

 

I have not seen the third coin before. What can you tell about the marks (who, when, where)? I had heard the first was a copy issue not just c/m's on official Sasanian coins. Do you agree?

 

I heard that too. I 'll try and find it out.

 

Can anyone tell me who is on this coin? I don't collect Persian coins, just European, but I was curious about purchasing it.

https://www.okazii.ro/g-027-imperiu...ia-drahma-cca-600-argint-4-1g-31mm-a175501287

 

@Laurentiu: The coin you linked looks like it's Khusro I (531-579 AD), Year 46, mintmark BBA (Court Mint). Oh, and welcome to Coin Talk!

 

In case the fire altar attendants on the reverses of these Sassanid coins has anyone thinking of converting to Zoroastrianism, there's a fairly recent Zoroastrian Temple in New York, complete with a fire altar room! I wonder what kind of building code provisions had to be in place for that... https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...zoroastrian-temple-erected-new-york/82588552/

 

My little Sasanian collection (so far):



@Pellinore, those Khusro I and Shapur I examples are incredible.

 

@Parthicus Thanks a lot. I spent a few hours looking over some catalogs and I speculated it was Khusro I, but I wasn't very sure. I could barely make out his name, but the rest of the markings helped.