196, Lot: 84. Estimate $300. Sold for $525. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SASANIAN KINGS. Ardashir I. AD 223/4-240. AR Hemidrachm (19mm, 2.11 g, 4h). Mint C ('Ctesiphon'). Phase 3, circa AD 228/30-238/9. Draped bust right, wearing headdress with globe; ribbed diadem ends / Fire altar; flames 2, ribbed ribbons. SNS Type IIIa(4a)/3b(2b), -; Göbl III/2/2; Alram 674; Paruck 39. EF, attractively toned, a few minor deposits.

In this phase of his coinage, Ardashir wears a crown surmounted by an orb, which becomes a standard type, and the legend has added the phrase 'who is descended from the gods.' While the general type is published in SNS, this particular coin's variety is not. In a general sense, it is unusual in that the altar is of type 3b, a standard type at Mint B, but there are a few rare coins of Mint C in SNS that do have this feature. Nonetheless, SNS does not have any denomination of type IIIa(4a)/3b(2b) with the charateristics of flames type 2, ribbed diadem ends, and ribbed ribbons. (Note: there are a similar examples plated in de Morgan, but no listing for these coins is found in the text.)