Umayyad Caliphate Drachm - al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf, 696 – 714

AR Drachm from Umayyad Caliphate. Issued from 696 to 714. Struck in Silver. Measures 35 mm and weighs 4.21 g.

Obverse

Field bust of Sasanian king (Khusraw II) to right. to left, behind the head in Pahlawi script AFZUT / GD “may his kingship increase” to right, in front of the face in Arabic script al-hajjaj ibn / yusuf In broad margin at 3:00, star and crescent; lillah al-hamd “to God be the Praise!” stars and crescents at 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 o’clock

Reverse

Field Sasanian fire altar raised on three steps with an attendant priest or mabedh on either side standing facing, at the top of the flames rising from the altar, on the left a small star and on the right a small crescent to left downwards, the Pahlawi date HShTAT (80) on right BISH, the Pahlawi abbreviation for Bishapur all enclosed within a triple circle. Outer margin divided into quarters by stars and crescents at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00