Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3041 Sess. 4 13 August 2015
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Ancients
PERSIS. Vadfradad (Autophradates) I (3rd-2nd century BC). AR tetradrachm (29mm, 16.92 gm, 9h). Diademed head of Vadfradad right, with beard and long moustache, wearing kyrbasia / Persic legend Vadfradad, governor of god, fire temple of Ahura-Mazda; above, half-figure of Ahura-Mazda, wings spread, bust to left; to left, Vadfradad standing right, hands raised, bow before; to right, flag standard (Latin vexillum) decorated with X, dots in angles. Alram 533. Sunrise 568-569 variant (bow). Rare variety! Boldly struck on a broad flan of exceptional metal, with a particularly detailed reverse. Choice Extremely Fine.The fertile land of Fars or Persis gave birth to two great multi-national empires of the ancient world -- the Achaemenid Kingdom (circa 600-330 BC), and the Sasanian Kingdom (AD 240-640). Between the rise of these two empires, Persis existed as a relatively isolated vassal state ruled by native satraps or governors, offering nominal allegiance to the Seleucid and Parthian Kingdoms. The rule of Vadfradad (or Autophradates), the satrap depicted here, seems to have spanned the transition from Seleucid to Parthian overlordship. Persis struck its own distinctive coinage, which employed Persic or Aramaic legends and depicted its rulers wearing the traditional native headdress, the kyrbasia, and worshipping before the temples and fire altars of Ahura Mazda, the supreme deity of Persia's Zoroastrian faith. This extraordinary example has a particularly detailed reverse, showing the temple with its ornate doors closed, topped by three fire braziers, in turn topped by a pair of palmettes. Above the temple floats the winged, half-length figure of Ahura-Mazda himself. The Kingdom of Persis would nurture native customs and religion for many centuries to form the basis of Sasanian culture when it reasserted its dominance in the third century AD.
Estimate: 9000-11000 USD
PERSIS. Vadfradad (Autophradates) I (3rd-2nd century BC). AR tetradrachm (29mm, 16.92 gm, 9h). Diademed head of Vadfradad right, with beard and long moustache, wearing kyrbasia / Persic legend Vadfradad, governor of god, fire temple of Ahura-Mazda; above, half-figure of Ahura-Mazda, wings spread, bust to left; to left, Vadfradad standing right, hands raised, bow before; to right, flag standard (Latin vexillum) decorated with X, dots in angles. Alram 533. Sunrise 568-569 variant (bow). Rare variety! Boldly struck on a broad flan of exceptional metal, with a particularly detailed reverse. Choice Extremely Fine.The fertile land of Fars or Persis gave birth to two great multi-national empires of the ancient world -- the Achaemenid Kingdom (circa 600-330 BC), and the Sasanian Kingdom (AD 240-640). Between the rise of these two empires, Persis existed as a relatively isolated vassal state ruled by native satraps or governors, offering nominal allegiance to the Seleucid and Parthian Kingdoms. The rule of Vadfradad (or Autophradates), the satrap depicted here, seems to have spanned the transition from Seleucid to Parthian overlordship. Persis struck its own distinctive coinage, which employed Persic or Aramaic legends and depicted its rulers wearing the traditional native headdress, the kyrbasia, and worshipping before the temples and fire altars of Ahura Mazda, the supreme deity of Persia's Zoroastrian faith. This extraordinary example has a particularly detailed reverse, showing the temple with its ornate doors closed, topped by three fire braziers, in turn topped by a pair of palmettes. Above the temple floats the winged, half-length figure of Ahura-Mazda himself. The Kingdom of Persis would nurture native customs and religion for many centuries to form the basis of Sasanian culture when it reasserted its dominance in the third century AD.
Estimate: 9000-11000 USD