Sale: CNG 60, Lot: 1085. Estimate $200.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 22 May 2002.  Sold For $300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

NEZAK HUNS. Sero. Contemporary of Sahi Tigin. Circa 710-720 AD. Billon Drachm (3.10 gm). Bust right wearing crown with two intertwined snakes around a rosette within a crescent ; tamgha resembling fleur de lys / Fire altar flanked by two attendants. Göbl Hunnen Em. 243A ("Iranisch-Hunnische Münzen", 1. Nachtrag IN: Iranica Antiqua, XVI, 1981); cf. Alram 1482; MACW 1552. Near VF, deeply toned, reverse triple-struck. Extremely rare. ($200)

Göbl listed this emission as unique in 1967, and only cites two examples of this new variety in his later articles. Mitchiner publishes the same coin twice as MACW 1552 and MNI 80. A fourth specimen was sold by CNG in Sale 57, making this perhaps the fifth specimen published. The reverse is struck thrice, but in a very calculated manner, multiplying the altar device by three. This multiple striking appears to be purposeful, and gives the impression of a fire altar flanked by two additional altars. Four of five specimens have a multiple strike.