HUNNIC TRIBES, Western Turks. Khorasan. Iltäbär of the Khalaj, 8th century. Drachm (Silver, 30 mm, 3.26 g, 3 h). 'Sri-hitivira kharalava paramesvara sri sahi tiginadeva karita' ('His Perfection Iltäbär of the Khalaj, devotee of the highest divinity, the perfect King, the Sahi Tegin Lord had made this [coin]' in Brahmi) Draped bust of the King slightly to right, wearing a moustache and diadem with two tridents and a lion's head on top and two ribbbons hanging from the back of the diadem knot, earrings, two pearl necklaces and a rosette onhis chest; in field to right, σϸι ϸαυο ('His Perfection, King' in Bactrian). Rev. Tegin, King of Khorasan; year 77' (in Pahlawi) Draped bust of Adur facing and wearing flame nimbus. Göbl 208. Vondrovec, Type 208. Fresh and attractive. Struck from a somewhat worn obverse die and with light marks, otherwise, extremely fine.

This very interesting trilingual coin with inscriptions in Bactrian, Brahmi and Pahlawi bears the image of a king who is called 'Iltäbär', a title which is also attested in several Baktrian documents of the era. It has been suggested that 'Iltäbär' is to be identified with the Chinese word 'xielifa', which the Buddist monk Hyecho (704-787), in his memoirs, provides as one of the titles of the King of Huttalan. The reverse of this interesting issue, on the other hand, shows the bust of Adur, the Persian God of Fire.