ISLAMIC, 'Abbasid Caliphate.
. al-Mahdi
. AH 158-169 / AD 775-785. BI Drachm (25.5mm, 2.43 g, 4h). Bukharkhudat type imitation. Uncertain regional mint. Struck circa AH 158-168 / AD 774-785. Crowned bust right; al-mahdi to upper left / Fire flanked by attendants; bust right in flames. Cf. Treadwell, Monetary, Type 3; cf. Walker, Arab-Sasanian 319-37; cf. Album 94; cf. ICV 96 (all refs for official issue); cf. Zeno 92024 (for another imitation). Brown patina. Fine. traces of silvering.
From the Todd Hansen Collection, purchased from Roberyt Tye.
"Debased Sassanian style drachs struck by the Bokhara town authorities as fiduciary coinage, which actually rose in value against the siver dirhem, and began a successful Central Asian Fiduciary system which last at least 400 years...." (Tye)