by T. K. Mallon
A compendium of attributions from Album, Göbl, Gyselen, Kolesnikov, Mitchiner, Mochiri, Paruck, Schindel and Sears.
Many identifications are preliminary and/or questionable.
Sasanian Empire coins for sale in Forum's Shop
Also see:
Sasanian
Sasanian Dates
Sasanian Names
Sasanian Timeline
Malek Survey
Online Resource Links
T. K. Mallon's Sasanian Empire Webpages (archived copy available)
ZENO.RU - Oriental Coins Database - Sasanian Page
Beast Coins Sasanian Coins
The British Museum Sasanian Coin Project
Mint Locations and Signatures
Al Jazira
WAC=uncertain site
Northern Provinces
AT=Azerbaijan (?)
ZWZWN/GWGWN, etc.=uncertain site(s)
GNCKL, GNC=Ganjak-Chez
Central Iraq
WH=Veh-Ardashir
WYH=Veh-Kavad
BBA=Court mint at Ctesiphon or Dastagird; itinerant
Media
Western District: AYLAN=at or near Eran-asan-kar-Kavad
Central District: AHM=Hamadan; NY=at or near Nemavand
Northern District: LD, LDY=Ray
Southern District: GD=Gay
Possible Attributions: MA=May; ASP, SPHAN=Spahan; GW=at or near Goyman;
A or S=uncertain site(s)
Southern Iraq
Northern District: MY=Meshan
Southern District: PL=Furat-i-Meshan
Khuzistan
AY=at or near Eran-khvarrah-Shapur
LYW, KWN LYW=Rev-Ardashir
AWH, AW=at or near Hormizd-Ardashir
LAM=Ram-Hormizd
AS=uncertain site
Possible Attributions: HWC=Gunde-Shapur
LA=Ram-Hormizd or Rev-Ardashir (?)
Fars
Veh az Amid Kavad District: WYHC=Veh-az-Amid-Kavad (Arrajan)
Bishapur District: BYSh=Bishapur
Ardashir Khurra District: ART=Ardashir-Khurra; KA=Karzi
Istakhr District: ST=Istakhr
Darabgird District: DA, DAL=Darabgird
Yazd District: YZ, YZD=Yazd
Possible Attributions: ShY=Shiraz
Kirman
KL=at or near Shirajan
BN=Veh-Ardashir
GLM=Bamm
NAL=Narmashir
GY=Giruft
Possible Attributions: HLCN=Hurjand (?)
NAT=uncertain site
Khurasan
APL, AP=Abarshahr
ML, MLW=Merv
HL, HLY, HRYDW=Herat
BHL=Balkh
Possible Attributions: TWS, TW, T=Tus (?)
HLM=Xolm (?)
SML=Samarkand (?)
Sistan
SKSTN, SK=Zarang
BST=Bust
Uncertain Mints
AH=unknown
AM=Amul (?)
AL=unknown
ALM=unknown; not in the Caucasus, Khurasan or Sistan
AYL=unknown; Central Iraq or Northwestern Iran
AYLA=unknown
BYN=unknown; not in Kirman, Khurasan or Sistan
CACW=unknown; Chach (?)
DL=unknown
DYNAW, etc.=Dinavar in Media (?)
GWD=unknown
GWLCAN=unknown
H=unknown; not Herat
NAH=unknown
LHW=unknown; Roxvadh (?)
MRWVART/TRUKVART=unknown; Merv al-Rudh (?)
WLC=unknown; not in the Caucasusium of attributions from Album, Gobl, Gyselen, Kolesnikov, Mitchiner, Mochiri, Paruck, Schindel and Sears;
many identifications are preliminary and/or questionable.
Pahlavi (Middle Persian) is read from right to left. Many letter-forms are similar: B and Y; R and L; D and K; G and Z; U, V, W and N.
TRANSLITERATION | PAHLAVI | TRANSLITERATION | PAHLAVI |
---|
a | | l | |
b | | m | |
g | | n | | |
d | | | s | |
u, v, w | | p, f | |
z | | ts, ch | |
kh, h | | | r | | | |
i, y | | | sh | |
k | | | t | | |
Pahlavi Mint Signatures
The mint name is usually on the reverse right and read downward (reminder: Pahlavi is read right to left).
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
A | | uncertain site | Media |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AH | | unknown | unknown |
|
KWN AH | | SNS 3; Varhran IV |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AHM | | Hamadan | Media/Central District |
|
KWN AHM | | SNS 3; Varhran IV |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AL | | unknown | unknown | Mitchiner lists AR for both Armenia and Fars |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ALM | | unknown | not in the Caucasus, Khurasan or Sistan | Mitchiner's Armenia |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AM | | Amul(?) | Khurasan |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
APL | | Abarshahr | Khurasan |
|
AP | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ART | | Ardashir-Khurra | Ardashir-Khurra District |
|
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ART(H)Sh(TR) | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AS | | uncertain site | Khuzistan |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ASP | | Spahan (Isfahan) | Media |
|
SPHAN | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AT | | Adurbadagan(?) | Atrapatan (Azerbaijan)(?) | Sears: may be blundered ST; probably not Adurbadagan |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AW | | at or near Hormizd-Ardashir | Khuzistan | Mochiri's AO/AOH; Mitchiner's AU/AUH |
|
AWH | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AY | | at or near Eran-khvarrah-Shapur | Khuzistan | Mitchiner's AI or AB; Gobl's AB |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AYL | | unknown | Central Iraq or Northwestern Iran | Mitchiner's AIR (Airan Khurra Shapuhr) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AYLA | | unknown | unknown | Mitchiner's AIRA (Airan Khurra Shapuhr) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
AYLAN | | at or near Eran-asan-kar-Kavad (Hulwan) | Media/Western District | Mitchiner's AIRAN (Airan Khurra Shapuhr) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BBA | | Court Mint | [itinerant] | Mitchiner's BKhA (Balkh); Mochiri's BLX (Balkh) |
KWN BBA | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BHL | | Balkh | Khurasan | Mochiri's BXL (Balkh); Schindel's GHL |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BN | | uncertain | Kirman | Sears' Veh-Ardashir; Mochiri's and Mitchiner's GN (Gondishapur) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BST | | Bust | Sistan | Peus 363, 5313 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BShHP | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
BShHPW | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BWB | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BYN (?) | | unknown | not in Kirman, Khurasan or Sistan |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BYSh | | Bishapur | Fars/Bishapur District |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BYShHPW | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
BYST | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
CACW | | Chach(?) | Khurasan(?) | From a unique coin of Hormazd IV, year 6, in Mochiri; who knows... |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
DA | | Darabgird | Fars/Darabgird District |
|
DAL | | Peus 363, 5341 (Khusro II, year 25); this may be engraver error for NAL |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
DALAPKR | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
DL | | unknown | unknown | Mitchiner's Darabgird; Mochiri's KR |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
DYNAW | | uncertain/Dinavar(?) | Media(?) | Gobl has this mint marked as Rayy |
DYNAS | |
DYNAT | |
DYN | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
GD | | Gay (Jayy) | Media/Southern District | A district of Isfahan; Mitchiner's GI; Mochiri's GY |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
GLM | | unlocated | Kirman | Sears says possibly Bamm |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
GNCKL | | Ganjak-Chez(?) | Northern Provinces | Peus 363, 5311 |
GNC | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
GW | | at or near Goyman(?) | Media | Mitchiner's GU; Mochiri's GO (Gorgan) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
GWD | | uncertain | uncertain |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
GWL | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
GWLCAN | | uncertain | Khurasan(?) | Mochiri's GORZAN (Gorzevan) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
GY | | Giruft | Kirman |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
H | | unknown | unknown; not Herat |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
HGL | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
HL | | Herat | Khurasan |
|
HLY | |
HLYDW | |
HLYDY | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
HLM | | Xolm(?) | Khurasan | Mochiri's XLM (Xolm) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
HWC | | Gunde-Shapur(?) | Khuzistan |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
KA | | Karzi(?) | Fars/Ardashir-Khurra District(?). |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
KAL | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
KALCYDY | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
LAM | | Ram-Hormizd | Khuzistan |
|
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
LD | | Ray (Rayy) | Media/Northern District | Mochiri's RY |
LDY | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
LHW | | Roxvadh(?) | Khurasan (?) | Mochiri's RXW |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
LY | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
LYW | | Rev-Ardashir | Khuzistan |
|
|
KWN LYW | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
LYWARTHShT | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
MA | | May (Masabadan) | Media |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ML | | Merv | Khurasan |
|
MLW | |
MLWY | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
MLWVALT | | Merv al-Rudh(?) | Khurasan(?) | TRUKVART; Peus 363, 5329 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
MY | | Meshan | Southern Iraq/Northern District |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
NAH | | uncertain | uncertain |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
NAL | | Narmashir(?) | Kirman |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
NAT | | uncertain site | Kirman |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
NY | | at or near Nemavand | Media/Central District | Mitchiner's NB (uncertain) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
PL | | Furat-i-Meshan(?) | Southern Iraq/Southern District(?) | Album says probably not Furat-i-Meshan |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
PW | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
PWLGY | | --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
S | | uncertain site | Media |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
SK | | Zarang | Sistan |
|
SKSTN | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
SML |
| Samarkand(?) | Khurasan(?) | From Mochiri; uncertain, Album says probably not Samarkand |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ST | | Istakhr (Persepolis) | Fars/Istakhr District |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
STHL |
| --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
STL |
| --- | --- | Dinar of Vistahm; Res Orientales XVI, AV93 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ShLK (?) | | --- | --- | SNS 3; Varhran IV |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ShY | | Shiraz | Fars | Sellwood attributes ShY to Shiz in the Northwest |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ShYLAC |
| --- | --- | SNS 3 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
TWS | | Tus(?) | Khurasan | This may only be a blundered spelling of MLWY and ML, respectively |
TW | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
WAC (?) | | uncertain site | Al-Jazira |
|
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
WH | | Veh-Ardashir (Seleucia) | Central Iraq/Northern District | Mochiri's VH (Veh Ardashir), Mitchiner's VH (Veh Andew Shapur); Gobl's NH (Nahr-Tire) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
WLC | | unknown | unknown; not in the Caucasus | Peus 363, 5317 (as VLCh) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
WYH | | Veh-Kavad | Central Iraq/Southern District | Mochiri's NEH; Mitchiner's NIH (Nehavend) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
WYHC | | uncertain site | Fars or Central Iraq | Sears' Veh-az-Amid-Kavad (Arrajan) in Fars [based on Arab-Sasanian coins marked WYHC, struck between AH 67-73, which were almost certainly struck in Fars, and hoard data]; Mochiri's VSP (Visp Shad Xosrow); Mitchiner's NYHCh (near Ctesiphon) |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
YZ | | Yazd | Fars/Yazd District | Gobl's ZR (Zarang) |
YZD | | Peus 363, 5314 |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ZL | | Zarang(?) | Sistan | Kavad I examples in Mochiri's Arab-Sasanian Civil War Coinage (1987) |
ZLN | |
ZLNG | |
SIGNATURE | PAHLAVI | CITY/DISTRICT | PROVINCE | NOTES |
---|
ZWZN | | uncertain site(s) | Northern Provinces | Mochiri's ZOZNU (Zozan), also written GWGWN; according to Nikitin, this may mean "silver coin" and not be a mint signature. Known only for Hormazd IV. |
ZWZWN | |
ZWZWNW | |
Map of Mint Locations
References
SICA I = Album, Stephen & Tony Goodwin, Sylloge of Islamic Coins In the Ashmolean, Vol. 1: The Pre-Reform Coinage of the Early Islamic Period Ashmolean Museum. (Oxford, 2002).
Göbl SN = Gobl, Robert. Sasanian Numismatics, Klinkhardt and Biermann. (Braunschweig, 1971).
Gyselen 2004 = Gyselen, Rika. New Evidence For Sasanian Numismatics, Res Orientales XVI. (Bures-sur-Yvette, 2004).
Kolesnikov = Kolesnikov, A.I. Deneshnoe Chozaystvo v Irane v VII Veke. (Moscow, 1998).
Mitchiner ACW = Mitchiner, Michael. Oriental Coins, the Ancient and Classical World, Hawkins Publications. (London, 1978).
Mochiri = Mochiri, Malek Iradj. Etude De Numismatique Iranienne sous les Sassanides Et Arabe-Sassanides, Tome II. (Teheran, 1983).
Paruck = Paruck, F. D. J. Sasanian Coins. (Bombay, 1924).
Sears MHI = Sears, Stuart D. A Monetary History of Iraq and Iran, CA. CE 500 to 750. (Chicago, 1997).
SNS III = Schindel, Nikolaus. Sylloge Nummorum Sasanidarum: Volume 3, Verlag der Osterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. (Vienna, 2004).