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Drachm - Anonymous Peroz I imitation
| Issuer | Hephthalite Empire (Hunnic tribes) |
|---|---|
| Year | 484-490 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Drachm (1) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Zoroastrian fire altar depicted centrally with flames rising from the altar top, flanked by two attendants standing in profile facing the altar, rendered in the schematized Hephthalite imitative style derived from Peroz I Sasanian prototypes. A star and crescent device flank the flames above the altar shaft, echoing the celestial symbolism of standard Sasanian royal coinage. The Bactrian letter 'M' (denoting Malka, meaning King) appears to the left of the left-hand attendant, in keeping with the convention observed on authentic Peroz issues. A mint inscription in Bactrian script appears to the right, frequently blundered in Hephthalite workshop production, here reading Boxlo (Balkh), enclosed within a beaded inner border. |
| Reverse script | Bactrian |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
These imitations entered circulation almost immediately after the Sasanian defeat at the Battle of Herat in 484, where Peroz I was killed and his army annihilated by the Hephthalite confederacy. The victors captured not only territory but the Sasanian treasury and mint apparatus, giving them both the bullion and the technical knowledge to strike convincing copies of the dead king's coinage. Peroz's own issues remained the monetary reference point across eastern Iran and Bactria for decades, so replicating them was straightforwardly practical.
The silver content in these imitations is generally consistent with late Sasanian production standards, suggesting access to controlled bullion rather than opportunistic melting.