★ A lustrous drachm of Kavadh II ★

SASANIAN KINGS. Kavadh II, 628. Drachm (Silver, 30 mm, 4.15 g, 4 h), BYŠ (Bishapur), RY 2 = AD 628. Bust of Kavadh II to right, wearing mural crown with frontal crescent and korymbos set on crescent; ribbon on his left shoulder, crescent and ribbon on his right; stars flanking crown; behind head, PYLWC ('Victorious' in Pahlawi); before head, KW'T ('Kavadh' in Pahlawi). Rev. Fire altar with ribbons flanked by two attendants; in upper left field, six-pointed star; in upper right field, crescent; to left, date; to right, BYŠ (name of the mint in Pahlawi). Göbl, -. Sunrise -. SSCT, 4224. Rare. A lustrous and sharply struck example. Good extremely fine.

Kavadh II was the son of Khosrau II and Maryam, who was a Christian and allegedly a daughter of the Byzantine emperor Maurice Tiberius. After his accession to the throne, Kavadh concluded peace with Heraclius and returned the True Cross, which had been taken from Jerusalem by his father Khosrau II in 614, to the Christians as part of the agreement.