Unique Dinar of Kavād I

Triton XX, Lot: 440. Estimate $10000. Sold for $17000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SASANIAN KINGS. Kavād (Kavādh) I. Second reign, AD 499-531. AV Dinar (22mm, 4.07 g, 3h). AYL (Susa?) mint. Dated RY 41 (AD 529/30). kw’d in Pahlavi to right, bust right, wearing mural crown with frontal crescent, two ribbons, and korymbos set on crescent, ribbons and crescents on shoulders; stars flanking head; star-in-crescents in margin / Fire altar with ribbons; flanked by two attendants; star and crescent flanking flames; y’č in Pahlavi (date) on left, ;6 ’yl in Pahlavi (mint) on right; double border. SNS type Ib-c/1b; SNS Schaaf –; SC Tehran –; cf. Göbl type II/2 (for type); Saeedi –; Sunrise – . EF, hint of weak strike in outer border of reverse. Unpublished and unique.

Ex Triton XI (8 January 2008), lot 402.

Only gold fractions were previously known for Kavadh, all of which are of Göbl type I/1 (cf. Göbl pl. 11, 182 and 184, and Saeedi AV 85-7)