Iran-Arab Sasanian AH43 (frozen date) 1 drachm DA mint
The Arabs overran the Sasanian Empire in the 650’s and established Islamic dominance over most of the territory. The Arab capital at the time was Medina, but the caliph (Umar I) left most of the local governments to manage as before, asking only allegiance to the new order. As a result, Persian coinage continued much as before, despite the Muslim prohibition against ‘graven images’. Initially, issues were anonymous, but eventually identified Umayyad governors. After the coinage reform of ‘Abd al-Malik I in 685 AD, the Sasanian imitations ceased and subsequent Islamic issues possessed only script.
The specimen shown was lot 21554 in Heritage Auctions Ancient and World Coins Auction, January 6&7 2013, New York, where it sold for US$1,527. The catalog description reads[1]:
" Lot 21554 - Arab-Sasanian, Mu'awiya, Umayyad caliph, AH 41-60/AD 661-680, silver drachm (4.09g, 31mm). DA (Darabjird), frozen year 43, A-14. Star left of the crown, but without the normal star and crescent to the right. Lustrous Choice Extremely Fine. From Stephen Album auction 8, (June 2010), lot 48. The name Mu'awiya in Arabic means "barking or whining female dog". In old Arab tradition, a newly born was assigned as his personal name the first action heard by his parents after his birth. Mu'awiya was the first caliph of the Umayyad dynasty, and this is the only coin type that actually bore his name, written in the Pahlavi language, struck only at Darabjird in eastern Fars province, always dated "43" but actually struck circa AH54."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.09g, silver.
Catalog reference: A-14.
- Album, Stephen. Checklist of Islamic Coins. Santa Rosa, 1998. Stephen Album.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3021, featuring the Cecil Webster, Richard P. Ariagno and Elizabeth McPhall Charters Collection, Dallas: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2012.
- Mitchiner, Michael. Oriental Coins and their Values - The World of Islam. London, 2000. Hawkins Publications.
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