Category Archives: Persian Coins

Satraps: Ancient Coins of the Persian Governors

CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series by Mike Markowitz ….. THE ACHAEMENID EMPIRE of Persia founded by Cyrus the Great (ruled 559-530 BCE) was eventually conquered (330 BCE) by Alexander the Great. Achaemenid kings ruled their vast, multi-ethnic state through a system of appointed governors or satraps, recruited mainly from a narrow elite of closely related Iranian […]

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The Cult of Mithras on Ancient Coins

By Steve Benner for CoinWeek ….. It would not be possible to cover the cult of Mithras in this not-quite 2,000-word article. But I can give enough of an overview of the religion for the reader to at least understand what its basic beliefs were and its importance in ancient worlds: not only to the […]

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Sassanian Silver Drachms

By Michael T. Shutterly for CoinWeek ….. Ardashir V, King of Persis, defeated Artabanus IV, the last Shahanshah (“King of Kings”) of Parthia, at the Battle of Hormozdgan in 224 CE. Persis was located in what is now southwestern Iran, while Parthia was located primarily in what is now northeastern Iran; both kingdoms were once […]

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CoinWeek Podcast #166: Beyond Greece and Rome

The CoinWeek Podcast is brought to you by PCGS. Check out PCGS’ new grading specials and take advantage of an exclusive offer to get a PCGS limited-edition 35th Anniversary Silver PCGS Box. You can also save money on Canadian banknote submissions and coin variety attributions. Visit pcgs.com/ccspecial to learn more. CoinWeek Podcast #166: Mike Markowitz […]

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Coins of the Persian Kings of Kings

By Michael T. Shutterly for CoinWeek ….. The Persians did not have a coinage system of their own until about 546 BCE when Cyrus the Great conquered Lydia and adopted elements of the previous Kroiseid coinage system (developed by Kroisos, the last king of Lydia). When the Persians began minting coins, they not only used […]

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Gold Quarter Mohurs of the Zand at Stack’s Bowers Collectors Choice Auction

By Jeremy Bostwick – Senior Numismatist & Cataloger, Stack’s Bowers …… While the American colonies were in the midst of a revolution that would see them gain independence from Great Britain, Persia on the other side of the world was mostly experiencing a period of peace and relative stability following decades of infighting. The Zands […]

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Best in Show: Ancients of the Tyrant Collection

CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series by Mike Markowitz …. Ancient coins are like puppies in one respect: a good pedigree enhances their market value. For an ancient coin, “pedigree” is not a matter of bloodlines, but rather what famous collections it might have belonged to in the past. A numismatist’s heart beats a little faster at the sight of notations […]

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Ancient Coins – The Wealth of the Persian Empire

The Colosseo Collection of Ancient Coins ……By Russell A. Augustin, AU Capital Management, LLC Thanks to intelligent political leadership and forward-thinking approaches to governing, the Persian Empire quickly became a substantial power of the ancient world. By not interfering with local customs or religions and granting equal rights for all citizens as long as taxes […]

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NGC Ancients: Classic Greek Coins, Part 5

NGC’s David Vagi finishes his discussion of some of the most familiar designs of ancient Greek coins in the last of a multi-part series By David Vagi – Director, NGC Ancients …… 1. Celts. Some of the most fascinating coins of the ancient world were struck by Celts and contemporary Iron Age cultures in Spain, Britain […]

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CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series: Ancient Coins Under $100

CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series by Mike Markowitz ….   Aren’t they very expensive? Along with How do you know they’re authentic?, this is probably the most common question that classical numismatists are asked about ancient coins. Well, yes and no. The price of an ancient coin, like any other price in an imperfect market economy, […]

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World Paper Money Auctions – Collection of Persian Banknotes Offered by Spink

Spink are very excited by the prospect of selling a stunning collection of Persian paper money banknotes: The Shamshir and Lion Collection on the 27th of September, 2017 in London. The banknotes produced by the Imperial Bank of Persia are among the most handsome issues in the history of world currency. With their striking colours, […]

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Why Hollywood Gets Ancient Coins Wrong

CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series by Mike Markowitz …. I have endured what no one on earth has endured before. I kissed the hands of the man who killed my son. I loved my boy from the moment he opened his eyes until the moment you closed them. Let me wash his body. Let me say […]

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Ancient Coins: Choice Persian Coins on MA-Shops

Ancient Coins from the Source: Curated Highlights from MA-Shops By Joël van Dam, Owner of Joëlnumismatics for MA-Shops.com …… Typical Design of Persian coins The conquest of Cyrus of the Lydian Kingdom in the 540s BCE and of Babylonia in the 530s BCE extended the area of his power enormously beyond Iran. His son, Cambyses […]

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Stack’s Bowers Galleries May 2017 World Collector’s Choice Online Auction

Stack’s Bowers Galleries is excited to announce details of their May 2017 Collector’s Choice Online Auction of World and Ancient coins and World Currency. The Ancient coins auction will begin live bidding on Wednesday, May 17 at 9 AM Pacific Time. World currency will begin at 11 AM Pacific Time. World coins auction will begin […]

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After 140 Years, A Hoard is Finally Ready to be Dispersed at Spink

Something very exciting is happening at Spink this September. As the dust begins to settle after the mammoth celebrations commemorating Spink’s 350th year, Spink’s auction room will be graced with the privilege of selling the famous Harptree Hoard of fourth-century silver coins. This will form part of the auction of Ancient, British and Foreign Coins […]

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New Ancient, World Coins from Atlas Numismatics – August 2016

By Atlas Numismatics ……   This weekend we will depart for the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money in Anaheim. We decided to publish our August list before the show so that our clients might peruse our stock before the convention begins. New Inventory These nine are just a sample of the 136 recent […]

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Israel Recovers Ancient Coins Stolen from Site

By Hubert Walker for CoinWeek…. On December 31, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced that it had recovered over 800 ancient coins from the house of a Beit Shemesh man who confessed to looting items from a local archaeological site. The unidentified man, who is in his 50s, was apprehended by border police while on […]

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Coinage of the First Caliphate

CoinWeek Ancient Coin Series by Mike Markowitz… BY THE BEGINNING of the seventh century, the lands of the Eastern Mediterranean had been ravaged by plague, earthquake and decades of war between the Eastern Roman (“Byzantine”) and Sasanian Persian empires. Along the coast, the great cities were mostly Greek-speaking. In the fertile hill country, villagers spoke […]

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The First Real Woman to Appear on a Coin

By Mike Markowitz for CoinWeek….. The earliest coins, which emerged around 650 BCE on the shores of the Aegean Sea, depicted ancient symbols of power such as the lion and the bull. Shortly after 500 BCE images of mythological beings start to appear on the coinage of Greek cities: gods, heroes, and imaginary creatures like […]

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