Lot 2362

AV Dinar (20–20.4 mm., die axis ↑↑, 7.27 g) - Bare-headed bust of king to left with long beard wearing diadem, earring visible / BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΕΠΙΦAΝΟΥ Archer seated right on throne holding bow - bold VF-EF / Ex collection M. Azizbeglou of Tehran. The coin is described in 1958 by R. Ghirsman: Trois monnaies parthes inédites, in: Centennial Publication of the American Numismatic Society (1958), pp. 279-284, tab. 17. In this article the provenance of the dinar is given as it has come from Kermanshah, located on the periphery of oriental Mesopotamia, however no details about the find circumstances are provided. It has some convincing features (such as being struck, with slight signs of double-striking on the obverse and reverse), but on the other hand the lower part of the king’s dress, no decoration on breast areas can be observed. The decoration on the shoulder is only faintly visible. As no gold coins in this series are known from any archaeological context, the coin is offered as it is, without guarantee of proven authenticity.