Sasanian Empire Drachm - Khusru I, 531 – 579

Drachm from Sasanian Empire. Issued from 531 to 579. Struck in Silver (.900). Measures 32 mm and weighs 3.84 g.

Obverse

A bust of king facing right. He wears a three-toothed crown with a crescent in front. The horn of crescent turn upwards. There are six-pointed stars above the crescent and back teeth. On the high crown there is a vertical bar with a fixed crescent onit, and within it is a globe, which seems to be formed from a separate tongue of flame. The bar is covered by small ribbons placed along the pointed rim. A crescent with a globe protudes from the rim. The diadem consist of two rows of points. There is a hairglobe on the nape of the king's neck. He wears earrings marked by points, a necklace with a pendant, and dress ornaments. There is a crescent above each shoulder. From behind the shoulders the ends of a fluttering ribbon can be seen. There is a crescent behind the rim symmetrically on two sides and below. Pahlavi legend (Husraw
Prosperity)

Reverse

In the center there is a fire-altar, narrowing in the middle and broadening downwards and upwardsby three steps. The narrow part is decorated by ribbon whose ends rise upwards. On the fire-altar there is a blazing fire. To the left of the fire is a six-pointed star, to the right a crescent. On two sides of the fire-altar there are attendants standing facing the viewer and leaning with their hands on their spears. Above each guard's shoulder the end of a ribbon can be seen, close to the rim. The field of the coin is borded by pointed rim.

Edge

Flat hammered coin smooth edge