Sasanian - Ancient coin auction
catalogs
I am not an expert on Sasanian coins, nor have I thoroughly searched
for catalogs with a special emphasis on Sasanian coins. But, I have
found some, listed here, and I have had the advice of Susan
Tyler-Smith,
who is a Sasanian coin expert. Thank you Sue! I solicit additional
recommendations from readers.
Peus 363 (4/00) "2500
years of Persian Coinage, Sammlungen
Konsul Meyer and Prof. Gobl" 21 early Persian, 50 Persis, 18
Elymais, 126 Parthian, 144 Sasanian, 12 Iranian Huns, 247
Arab-Sasanian (Wow!), 649 early Arabic (Wow! "One of the most
important and extensive collections of the Islamic coinage of Persia in
Europe"), on 54 ppl among 58.
Persis (50),
Elymais (18), Parthian (126), Sasanian (144), Iranian Huns
(12), Arab-Sasanian (247, wow!), 649 early Arabic (649, wow!)
328 2-4 May 1990, lots 312-355: early Ardashir V/I;
scarcer types of Ardashir I and Varhran II; fractional AR; gold.
349 2 Nov. 1996, lots 225-265: Hormizd I drachm and
half drachm; two
half drachms of Varhran I; gold; Khusrau II facing bust AR.
351 23-25 April 1997, lots 412-443: two bust types of
Varhran II AR (2 different types).
361 3-6 Nov. 1999, lots 322-359: Ardashir I with
Shapur I AR (Goebl
19); Ardashir I with eagle on tiara (G. 18); two bust types of Varhran
II AR (2 different types).
366 25 Oct. 2000, lots 263-287: scarce types of
Ardashir I; fractional AR.
368 25-28 April 2001, lots 264-402: scarce type of
Ardashir I;
scarce types of Shapur I including eagle-headed crown (G. 34);
fractional AR; gold including Khusrau I dated year 21.
Malter 55
(11/93) 107 photos. It also has a 4-page article with 3 additonal
plates of line drawings on "Reprsentation techniques in Sassanian
coinage" by Bahram Badiyi.
Checking some recent CNG
catalogs, it seems that every one has a small selection of unusual
Sasanian coins.
Triton VII 13-14
Jan. 2004, lots 548-681: part of a collection. Good
runs of gold and fractional AR; rare drachms; lots of nice coins!
Gorney
92 (11/98) 704 ancients among 2700 (+ 9 ppl of partially
illustrated large lots). 311 G, 37 Parthian, 22 Sasanian, 59 RP, 231 R,
22 Byz, 4
fake sestertii.
Munz Zentrum (Cologne)
XXVII 3-5 Nov. 1976, lots 677-879: representative
runs of AR; obol of Shapur III.
XLIII 27-30 April 1981, lots 761-863: Base metal (AE
and lead); fractional AR; representative runs of AR.
The next, of Soethby's, London, are thin
green cardcovers, not
glossy, 8 5/8" by 7 1/8". Because not all coins are photographed,
the counts may be of page
plates rather than numbers of coins.
24 March 1983 "including Jewish and important Sasanian" (7 plates
include
22 rare Sasanian including 9 obols)
17 November 1983 MV. 360 ancients on
only 6 ppl. Fine
photographs. 2 ppl G, 2 ppl Sasanian, 2 Roman
16-17 April 1985, lots 350-378: Gold; fractional AR.
21-22 Nov. 1985, lots 186-202: Interesting gold; fractional AU and AR.
Tkalec
and Rauch (4/86) MV. MQP. (This one is
before the
catalogs became superb) 554 ancients, photographed within text.
198 G, 7 Parthian and 35 Sasanian, 220 R, 27 Byz, 13 DA.
Spink, Numismatic Circular
(3/94) 22 rare issues, (10/95) 23 pieces, (10/96) 25 pieces.
Markov #1 (2/15/95) has
Sasanian-related coins: 6 Sasanian, 4 Chaganian, 9 Sogdian of
Bukhara. Some later issues have similar emphases.
Many Markov catalogs have Sasanian-related coins from central Asia.
Elsen 74 (6/03) 2 page plates
of Parthian (45) and 6 of Sasanian (173).
Classical Numismatic Review (fixed price list of CNG), XXVII (Summer
2002) 4-page article on Shapur I crown subvarieties and 54 Shapur
I pieces for sale.
Reference works:
An
Introduction to Sasanian Coins, by D. Sellwood, P. Whitting,
& R. Williams. 1985. The standard comprehensive list and price
guide. Small hardcover. 178 pages. 74 coins photographed plus a few
plates and many line drawings.
Sasanian Numismatics, by
Robert Göbl, orginally in German, translated into
English. 1971. 254 coins photographed on 16 plates plus 16 tables about
mints and identification. 97 pages of text and one foldout map. There
is lots of information here, but I am not the only one to find it
incomprehensible. I have never figured out his tables work, and I find
his text unilluminating.
Iranisches Personennamenbuch: Band
IV, Nomina Propria Iranica in Nummmis, in two volumes, one of
huge hardcover (16 3/4" by 12" and 1 1/2" thick) of text and one
cardcover (same size, but thin) of plates, by Michael Alram. 1986. 137
Sasanian coins photographed. This authoritative work is not designed
especially for numismatists (for example, it does not give weights),
but has come to be the standard work on coins of Persis, and it has
up-to-date attributions and spellings of the King's names that have
begun to replace older spellings. It is not at all a price guide, but
an attribution guide. It is comprehensive for coins with ancient
Iranian scripts, not just Sasanian and coins of Persis, but also
Parthia, etc.
Greek, Semitic, Asiatic Coins and How
to Read Them, by Richard Plant , 1979, includes a 13-page
chapter on how to read Sasanian coins. Hardcover, 257 pages.
Numismatic Chronicle, 1993,
pages 227-269. "A Survey of Research on Sasanian Numismatics" by Hodge
Mehdi Malek. A majar review of recent advances in the study of
Sasanian coins, including reign-by-reign comments, a list of
mintmarks and their cities, and a comprehensive list of references.
This work is essential for an up-to-date understanding of Sasanian
coins.
Oriental Coins and Their Values: The
Ancient and Classical World, by Michael Mitchner, 1978, is a
huge volume with 61 pages on the Sasanians and many more on related
coinages. About 400 Sasanian coins photographed. The listed
prices are out-of-date -- actually they are often far too high because
the
supply has increased dramatically since 1978.
Return to the main page.