Pre-reform issues, Arab-Sasanian. In the name of Khusraw II. AR Drachm (31.7mm, 4.11 g, 3h). DA (Darabjird) mint. Dated YE 35= AH 46 (AD 666/7). Obverse margin: – /
lillah / – / –. Malek,
Arab-Sasanian 374; SICA 1, 236; Album A6. Good VF.
While most early Arab-Sasanian drachms have bism Allah in the obverse margin, this rarer type bears the shorter legend lillah, (‘For God’). Lillah in Arabic is visually similar to the Pahlawi APD legend commonly found on the Sasanian drachms of Khusraw II which this type copies. Making their new Arab-Sasanian drachms resemble pre-Islamic prototypes as closely as possible will have helped ensure their acceptance in the former Sasanian lands.
