Abbasid Caliphate, time Al-Rashid, AR Hemidrachm, Anonymous Type, Tabaristan Mint, AH 171 = AD 787

$65.00

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Description

Abbasid Caliphate, time Al-Rashid, AR Hemidrachm (silver, 1.85g, 23mm), Anonymous Type, Tabaristan Mint, PYE 136 = AH 171 = 787 AD
Obv: Draped Sasanian-style bust to right, wearing elaborate crown; behind and before head, ‘GDE ˗ ʾp̄zwt’ (‘[may his] glory increase’ in Pahlavi); in outer margin to left and right, ‘nywk’ ˗ ʾp̄d’ (‘good ˗ wonderful’ in Pahlavi)
Rev: Fire altar, flanked by two attendants; above altar, star and pellet; to left, date in Pahlavi; to right, ‘tpwlstʾn’ (‘Tabaristan’ in Pahlavi)
Ref: Album 73 Rarity/Choice: Scarce, EF FDC (beautifully lustrous)
Note: This coin was minted in Tabaristan, a region located in present-day Iran. It reflects the continuation of Sasanian numismatic and artistic traditions during the early Abbasid period. The use of Pahlavi script and Sasanian-style imagery on Islamic coinage demonstrates the influence of the pre-Islamic Persian culture on the early Islamic caliphates. This coin also serves as a testament to the cultural and religious diversity within the Abbasid Caliphate, as it incorporates elements of both Islamic and pre-Islamic.