Lot 103: SASANIAN KINGS. Yazdgird I. AD. 399-420. Gold 1/6 of a Dinar. Extremely Rare.

SASANIAN KINGS. Yazdgird I. AD. 399-420. Gold 1/6 of a Dinar (0.74 gm; 13mm x 15mm). Original suspension loop. Yazdgird I: 1/6 of a Dinar, obverse; bust of Yazdgird I to right, a crescent with two streaming ribbons in front of the face, Pahlavi letters “A(a)P”(water) inside crescent . Reverse; standard Yazdgird I with fire altar flanked by attendants and crescent with dot on either sides of the flame. Of highest rarity among Sasanian gold fractions. Choice EF. Extremely Rare. "Water and Moon both are associated with the rites of Goddess Anahita. The dual ribbon might also represent the dual nature of this Goddess as Moon Goddess of water and Goddess of fertility. The sacredness of water is one of the most important and uninterrupted rites and ceremonies practiced by Zoroastrians to this day. A(a)P has morphed in to word "Aab" in modern Persian (Farsi) language due to influence of Arabic pronunciation which typically replaced letter "P" with letter "B". In addition AP most likely could not be mint abbreviation for a city or mint place such as "Aparshahr" in north east frontiers of the empire because the fortifications and cities in that area began mostly as large scale defensive wall construction development in post Yazdgird I era (mostly Late years of Bahram V and mostly Yazdgird II).

• Offered By: Pars Coins
• Lot #: 103
• Listing #: 236320
• Closed: Monday, May 10, 2021 4:34:00 PM CT
• Estimate: $3,000