Iran-Arab Sasanian YE65 (AH76) 1 drachm DA+P 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 anomymous, 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 81 in Steve Album sale 16 (Santa Rosa, CA, May 2013), where it sold for US$259.60. The catalog description reads[1]:
"ARAB-SASANIAN: 'Abd al-Malik b. Marwan, 685-705, AR drachm, DA+P (Fasa), YE65 (=AH76), pellet at 11h30 in reverse margin, VF to EF."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.70g, silver.
Catalog reference: A-32.
- Album, Stephen. Checklist of Islamic Coins. Santa Rosa, 1998. Stephen Album.
- [1]Album, Stephen. Stephen Album Rare Coins - Auction 16. Santa Rosa, 2013. Stephen Album Rare Coins.
- Mitchiner, Michael. Oriental Coins and their Values - The World of Islam. London, 2000. Hawkins Publications.
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