You don't see one of those every day

[Sulla80]

I find it hard to resist an ancient coin when I haven't seen one like it before - this coin boasts an interesting connection to coins that we've seen quite often on this forum and others (Sassanian Drachms).  Note the obverse bust and reverse "fire altar with attendants"....I don't think we've seen one on this forum yet.

ARAB-BUKHARAN (c.775-785), Bukhara, AR Drachm

Obv: Crowned Sasanian-style bust right, al-Mahdhi behind the bust in Arabic, Bukhar Hudat ("lord of Bukhara") in Bukharan script in front of the bust, three large dots below the bust 

Rev: Fire altar with ribbons and attendants; crowned bust of Ahura Mazda looking right in flames.

(Ahura Mazdā, “Wise Lord”, supreme god in ancient Iranian religion)

Size: 25mm, 2.36 grams

Ref: Album 94; BM Arab-Sassanian coins #319 ff.

Note: Imitating silver drachms of the Sasanian king Bahram V

Album Notes: al-Mahdi, the ‘Abbasid caliph, 158-169 / 775-785AR/BI drachm Struck during and after al-Mahdi’s reign, in reasonably fine silver until the governorship of Ghitrif b. ‘Ata, 174-176, who ordered their debasement. The debased version, called the ghitrifi dirham, was struck posthumously for decades, if not centuries. The fineness reduction was probably gradual, perhaps over several decades, rather than sudden during Ghitrif’s short governorship. Some of the latest issues are virtually pure copper.

 

This AE Fals is also from Bukhara Nasr II Samanid dynasty about a century later in 914-943 BCE  (a few similar coins from bukhara have appeared in this forum

 

Share a coin that you haven't seen often in this or other forums.

 

Edited December 9, 2022 by Sulla80

[JimBranson]

Jim