Sasanian Mints

by T. K. Mallon

A compendium of attributions from Album, Göbl, Gyselen, Kolesnikov, Mitchiner, Mochiri, Paruck, Schindel and Sears.
Many identifications are preliminary and/or questionable.

Sasanian Empire coins for sale in Forum's Shop

Also see:
Sasanian
Sasanian Dates
Sasanian Names
Sasanian Timeline
Malek Survey

Online Resource Links

T. K. Mallon's Sasanian Empire Webpages (archived copy available)

ZENO.RU - Oriental Coins Database - Sasanian Page

Beast Coins Sasanian Coins

The British Museum Sasanian Coin Project

Mint Locations and Signatures

Al Jazira
WAC=uncertain site

Northern Provinces
AT=Azerbaijan (?)
ZWZWN/GWGWN, etc.=uncertain site(s)
GNCKL, GNC=Ganjak-Chez

Central Iraq
WH=Veh-Ardashir
WYH=Veh-Kavad
BBA=Court mint at Ctesiphon or Dastagird; itinerant

Media
Western District: AYLAN=at or near Eran-asan-kar-Kavad
Central District: AHM=Hamadan; NY=at or near Nemavand
Northern District: LD, LDY=Ray
Southern District: GD=Gay
Possible Attributions: MA=May; ASP, SPHAN=Spahan; GW=at or near Goyman;
A or S=uncertain site(s)

Southern Iraq
Northern District: MY=Meshan
Southern District: PL=Furat-i-Meshan

Khuzistan
AY=at or near Eran-khvarrah-Shapur
LYW, KWN LYW=Rev-Ardashir
AWH, AW=at or near Hormizd-Ardashir
LAM=Ram-Hormizd
AS=uncertain site
Possible Attributions: HWC=Gunde-Shapur
LA=Ram-Hormizd or Rev-Ardashir (?)

Fars
Veh az Amid Kavad District: WYHC=Veh-az-Amid-Kavad (Arrajan)
Bishapur District: BYSh=Bishapur
Ardashir Khurra District: ART=Ardashir-Khurra; KA=Karzi
Istakhr District: ST=Istakhr
Darabgird District: DA, DAL=Darabgird
Yazd District: YZ, YZD=Yazd
Possible Attributions: ShY=Shiraz

Kirman
KL=at or near Shirajan
BN=Veh-Ardashir
GLM=Bamm
NAL=Narmashir
GY=Giruft
Possible Attributions: HLCN=Hurjand (?)
NAT=uncertain site

Khurasan
APL, AP=Abarshahr
ML, MLW=Merv
HL, HLY, HRYDW=Herat
BHL=Balkh
Possible Attributions: TWS, TW, T=Tus (?)
HLM=Xolm (?)
SML=Samarkand (?)

Sistan
SKSTN, SK=Zarang
BST=Bust

Uncertain Mints
AH=unknown
AM=Amul (?)
AL=unknown
ALM=unknown; not in the Caucasus, Khurasan or Sistan
AYL=unknown; Central Iraq or Northwestern Iran
AYLA=unknown
BYN=unknown; not in Kirman, Khurasan or Sistan
CACW=unknown; Chach (?)
DL=unknown
DYNAW, etc.=Dinavar in Media (?)
GWD=unknown
GWLCAN=unknown
H=unknown; not Herat
NAH=unknown
LHW=unknown; Roxvadh (?)
MRWVART/TRUKVART=unknown; Merv al-Rudh (?)
WLC=unknown; not in the Caucasusium of attributions from Album, Gobl, Gyselen, Kolesnikov, Mitchiner, Mochiri, Paruck, Schindel and Sears;
many identifications are preliminary and/or questionable.

Pahlavi Alphabet 

Pahlavi (Middle Persian) is read from right to left. Many letter-forms are similar: B and Y; R and L; D and K; G and Z; U, V, W and N.

TRANSLITERATION	PAHLAVI		TRANSLITERATION	PAHLAVI
a			l
b			m
g			n
d			s
u, v, w			p, f
z			ts, ch
kh, h			r
i, y			sh
k			t

Pahlavi Mint Signatures

The mint name is usually on the reverse right and read downward (reminder: Pahlavi is read right to left).

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
A		uncertain site	Media

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AH		unknown	unknown
KWN AH				SNS 3; Varhran IV

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AHM		Hamadan	Media/Central District
KWN AHM				SNS 3; Varhran IV

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AL		unknown	unknown	Mitchiner lists AR for both Armenia and Fars

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ALM		unknown	not in the Caucasus, Khurasan or Sistan	Mitchiner's Armenia

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AM		Amul(?)	Khurasan

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
APL		Abarshahr	Khurasan
AP

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ART		Ardashir-Khurra	Ardashir-Khurra District

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ART(H)Sh(TR)		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AS		uncertain site	Khuzistan

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ASP		Spahan (Isfahan)	Media
SPHAN

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AT		Adurbadagan(?)	Atrapatan (Azerbaijan)(?)	Sears: may be blundered ST; probably not Adurbadagan

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AW		at or near Hormizd-Ardashir	Khuzistan	Mochiri's AO/AOH; Mitchiner's AU/AUH
AWH

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AY		at or near Eran-khvarrah-Shapur	Khuzistan	Mitchiner's AI or AB; Gobl's AB

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AYL		unknown	Central Iraq or Northwestern Iran	Mitchiner's AIR (Airan Khurra Shapuhr)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AYLA		unknown	unknown	Mitchiner's AIRA (Airan Khurra Shapuhr)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
AYLAN		at or near Eran-asan-kar-Kavad (Hulwan)	Media/Western District	Mitchiner's AIRAN (Airan Khurra Shapuhr)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BBA		Court Mint	[itinerant]	Mitchiner's BKhA (Balkh); Mochiri's BLX (Balkh)
KWN BBA

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BHL		Balkh	Khurasan	Mochiri's BXL (Balkh); Schindel's GHL

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BN		uncertain	Kirman	Sears' Veh-Ardashir; Mochiri's and Mitchiner's GN (Gondishapur)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BST		Bust	Sistan	Peus 363, 5313

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BShHP		---	---	SNS 3
BShHPW

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BWB		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BYN (?)		unknown	not in Kirman, Khurasan or Sistan

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BYSh		Bishapur	Fars/Bishapur District

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BYShHPW		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
BYST		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
CACW		Chach(?)	Khurasan(?)	From a unique coin of Hormazd IV, year 6, in Mochiri; who knows...

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
DA		Darabgird	Fars/Darabgird District
DAL				Peus 363, 5341 (Khusro II, year 25); this may be engraver error for NAL

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
DALAPKR		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
DL		unknown	unknown	Mitchiner's Darabgird; Mochiri's KR

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
DYNAW		uncertain/Dinavar(?)	Media(?)	Gobl has this mint marked as Rayy
DYNAS
DYNAT
DYN

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
GD		Gay (Jayy)	Media/Southern District	A district of Isfahan; Mitchiner's GI; Mochiri's GY

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
GLM		unlocated	Kirman	Sears says possibly Bamm

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
GNCKL		Ganjak-Chez(?)	Northern Provinces	Peus 363, 5311
GNC

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
GW		at or near Goyman(?)	Media	Mitchiner's GU; Mochiri's GO (Gorgan)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
GWD		uncertain	uncertain

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
GWL		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
GWLCAN		uncertain	Khurasan(?)	Mochiri's GORZAN (Gorzevan)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
GY		Giruft	Kirman

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
H		unknown	unknown; not Herat

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
HGL		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
HL		Herat	Khurasan
HLY
HLYDW
HLYDY

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
HLM		Xolm(?)	Khurasan	Mochiri's XLM (Xolm)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
HWC		Gunde-Shapur(?)	Khuzistan

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
KA		Karzi(?)	Fars/Ardashir-Khurra District(?).

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
KAL		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
KALCYDY		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
LAM		Ram-Hormizd	Khuzistan

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
LD		Ray (Rayy)	Media/Northern District	Mochiri's RY
LDY

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
LHW		Roxvadh(?)	Khurasan (?)	Mochiri's RXW

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
LY		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
LYW		Rev-Ardashir	Khuzistan
KWN LYW

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
LYWARTHShT		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
MA		May (Masabadan)	Media

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ML		Merv	Khurasan
MLW
MLWY

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
MLWVALT		Merv al-Rudh(?)	Khurasan(?)	TRUKVART; Peus 363, 5329

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
MY		Meshan	Southern Iraq/Northern District

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
NAH		uncertain	uncertain

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
NAL		Narmashir(?)	Kirman

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
NAT		uncertain site	Kirman

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
NY		at or near Nemavand	Media/Central District	Mitchiner's NB (uncertain)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
PL		Furat-i-Meshan(?)	Southern Iraq/Southern District(?)	Album says probably not Furat-i-Meshan

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
PW		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
PWLGY		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
S		uncertain site	Media

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
SK		Zarang	Sistan
SKSTN

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
SML		Samarkand(?)	Khurasan(?)	From Mochiri; uncertain, Album says probably not Samarkand

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ST		Istakhr (Persepolis)	Fars/Istakhr District

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
STHL		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
STL		---	---	Dinar of Vistahm; Res Orientales XVI, AV93

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ShLK (?)		---	---	SNS 3; Varhran IV

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ShY		Shiraz	Fars	Sellwood attributes ShY to Shiz in the Northwest

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ShYLAC		---	---	SNS 3

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
TWS		Tus(?)	Khurasan	This may only be a blundered spelling of MLWY and ML, respectively
TW

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
WAC (?)		uncertain site	Al-Jazira

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
WH		Veh-Ardashir (Seleucia)	Central Iraq/Northern District	Mochiri's VH (Veh Ardashir), Mitchiner's VH (Veh Andew Shapur); Gobl's NH (Nahr-Tire)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
WLC		unknown	unknown; not in the Caucasus	Peus 363, 5317 (as VLCh)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
WYH		Veh-Kavad	Central Iraq/Southern District	Mochiri's NEH; Mitchiner's NIH (Nehavend)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
WYHC		uncertain site	Fars or Central Iraq	Sears' Veh-az-Amid-Kavad (Arrajan) in Fars [based on Arab-Sasanian coins marked WYHC, struck between AH 67-73, which were almost certainly struck in Fars, and hoard data]; Mochiri's VSP (Visp Shad Xosrow); Mitchiner's NYHCh (near Ctesiphon)

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
YZ		Yazd	Fars/Yazd District	Gobl's ZR (Zarang)
YZD				Peus 363, 5314

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ZL		Zarang(?)	Sistan	Kavad I examples in Mochiri's Arab-Sasanian Civil War Coinage (1987)
ZLN
ZLNG

SIGNATURE	PAHLAVI	CITY/DISTRICT	PROVINCE	NOTES
ZWZN		uncertain site(s)	Northern Provinces	Mochiri's ZOZNU (Zozan), also written GWGWN; according to Nikitin, this may mean "silver coin" and not be a mint signature. Known only for Hormazd IV.
ZWZWN
ZWZWNW

Map of Mint Locations

References

SICA I = Album, Stephen & Tony Goodwin, Sylloge of Islamic Coins In the Ashmolean, Vol. 1: The Pre-Reform Coinage of the Early Islamic Period Ashmolean Museum. (Oxford, 2002).
Göbl SN = Gobl, Robert. Sasanian Numismatics, Klinkhardt and Biermann. (Braunschweig, 1971).
Gyselen 2004 = Gyselen, Rika. New Evidence For Sasanian Numismatics, Res Orientales XVI. (Bures-sur-Yvette, 2004).
Kolesnikov = Kolesnikov, A.I. Deneshnoe Chozaystvo v Irane v VII Veke. (Moscow, 1998).
Mitchiner ACW = Mitchiner, Michael. Oriental Coins, the Ancient and Classical World, Hawkins Publications. (London, 1978).
Mochiri = Mochiri, Malek Iradj. Etude De Numismatique Iranienne sous les Sassanides Et Arabe-Sassanides, Tome II. (Teheran, 1983).
Paruck = Paruck, F. D. J. Sasanian Coins. (Bombay, 1924).
Sears MHI = Sears, Stuart D. A Monetary History of Iraq and Iran, CA. CE 500 to 750. (Chicago, 1997).
SNS III = Schindel, Nikolaus. Sylloge Nummorum Sasanidarum: Volume 3, Verlag der Osterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. (Vienna, 2004).