1595

HEPHTHALITE: Anonymous, ca. 486-490+, AR drachm (4.08g), XF-AU

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Ancient Coins - Central Asia Start Price:60.00 USD Estimated At:70.00 - 90.00 USD
HEPHTHALITE: Anonymous, ca. 486-490+, AR drachm (4.08g), XF-AU
CURRENT BID
0.00USD+ applicable fees & taxes.
ENTER YOUR MAXIMUM ABSENTEE BID[?]
You must bid at least
60.00USD
USD
60.00 x 1 unit = 60.00USDApplicable fees & taxes are added at checkout.
[?]Live Online Auction Starts In 2025 May 17 @ 10:00 (UTC-07:00 : PDT/MST)
PLEASE NOTE: You must request a bid limit when you register. If you would like to have a large bid limit, you must provide adequate references, or you must have previously established strong credit history with our company. Late registration may result in delayed approval.
HEPHTHALITE: Anonymous, ca. 486-490+, AR drachm (4.08g), G-, derived from Göbl-176 of Peroz, with normal winged crown of Peroz, meaningless legend on obverse, no reverse legend, XF-AU, R. These drachms closely imitate issues of the Sasanian Peroz (457-484 AD), both his second type (struck circa 460-474 AD) and the abundant third type (474-484 AD). Hephthalite invasions into Sasanian lands started about 474, again about 480, and finished in 484, when Peroz was killed and most of Khorasan was brought under Hephthalite control. Sasanian coinage at Marw and Herat ceased, not to be resumed after those cities were retaken by the Sasanians under Kavad I about 512. Peroz was ransomed during his defeat in the second battle about 482 for "30 mule packs of silver drachms", which must have become the standard circulation in Hephthalite territories, with large numbers found in Tokharistan countermarked with various local symbols. The common Hephthalite coinage of their own were imitations of Peroz type three, with four large pellets added to the obverse margin (Göbl-287/289, including several variants), most of which bear the mint name boxlo in the Baktrian script on the reverse in the standard position at the far right. We do not know when this series was introduced, but would guess at some time during the first reign of Kavad I (488-497).A significant group of a previously unrecognized type has recently been brought to market. The drachms are relatively close copies of Peroz drachms, both his second type (Göbl-171) and third type (Göbl-174 & 176). They lack the four large pellets in the obverse margin. The obverse may have no legend whatsoever, or a crude copy of the Peroz legend or completely meaningless script. The reverse may have the Pahlavi letter "M" as on G-171 and 176, often hopelessly engraved; some retain a very crude imitation of a Pahlavi mint signature. This type would have been introduced soon after the 484 conquest, perhaps after the ransom supply was dispersed and new coins had to be minted. An extremely rare example of this type bears a large star to the left of the King's crown, first introduced by Kavad I for his first type in 488. The rarity of the star type suggests that the production of this series ended not long afterwards, probably discontinued during the early 490s. Thus this series was only briefly struck circa 486-490+.We should mention that a few examples of this newly reported type have in fact been known for a long time, published either as Sasanian Imitations or as poorly engraved examples of Peroz's normal type 2 and type 3 drachms.