318, Lot: 382. Estimate $150. Sold for $160. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SASANIAN KINGS. Šābuhr (Shahpur) II. AD 309-379. AR Drachm (24mm, 4.11 g, 3h). Mint IX (Kabul). Struck circa AD 320-379. Diademed bust right, wearing mural crown with korymbos and inner ribbon / Fire altar with ribbons and bust right in flames; flanked by two attendants, each wearing mural crown. SNS type Ib1/3a (pl. 7, 95 [Mint V]); MK 1319/4-9; Göbl type Ia/6a; Sunrise –; Paruck 213; Saeedi –. Good VF, toned, area of minor porosity, slight doubling at edge. Rare.

The attribution of this coin type to Sakastan in SNS in clearly incorrect. The style and fabric of this issue is distinctly different in character from other Sakastan issues. Moreover, a coin from the same issue of identical style and fabric is also given to Herat in SNS (pl. 8, 100). For the same reasons as the coin attributed to Sakastan, though, this issue also does not belong to Herat. The style and fabric do support MK's attribution to Kabul, and one can see a similarity to many of the Kabul issues in SNS (e.g. SNS pl. 14, 201 - pl. 16, 231).