May I show my coin?
Hephthalites, Nezak Huns, unknown
king, Göbl 198
AE 27 (
drachm), 3.8g
struck in Kapisa, Kabul, AD 515-680(?)
obv. Bust, wearing winged helmet, draped and with ear-rings,
bull protoe above
r. NPKI MLKA, l. letter A (all in Pahlevi)
rev. fire-altar, on each
side a
stylized attendant, sun-wheels above their heads
ref. Göbl 198, Mitchener 1510-12
VF/F+, nice green
Patina, perfectly centered
Nezak Melka, the
legend on the coin, probably is not the name of a
king but a title.
The Nezak Huns have copied their coins from the Sassanids. See the next coin:
Sassanids, Hormizd II, AD 302-309
AR -
drachm, 27.2mm, 3.48g
obv. legend in Pahlevi (abbreviated and bungled, from r. to l.): .ly. .KLM n.KLM [ydzmrhw'] ygb nsd
[y?]zm (= The Mazdah worshipper, the divine Hormizd, the
king of kings of
Iran, who is descended from the gods)
Bust, bearded, r., wearing crown with
eagle r., holding pearl in beak, above
korymbos (Goebl crown
type I)
rev. Fire-altar, girlanded, decorated with three
globuli, burning, in the flames bearded
bust of
Ahura Mazda, l.; at l.
side Hormizd wearing
eagle-crown and
korymbos, stg. r., and at r.
side bearded priest, wearing
mural crown, both with harem pants(?) and holding sword
with both
hands, behind
legend in Pahlevi (abbreviated and bungled, clockwise from upper right to l.): [ydzmrhw'] 'LWN (= The Fire of
Hormizd)
ref.
cf. Göbl 83;
cf. Mitchener ACW 867;
cf. Paruck 176 (all with only one globukus)
about VF, small die break on
rev.Thanks to T.K.Mallon from grifterrec.com for the legends!
Korymbos (often called globe in error!) = typical hair-doe of the Sassanids kings, hair of
head combined ball-shaped above, covered in silk-rag. The crown was specific for each
king.
Best regards
