SASANIAN KINGS. Shapur I, 240-272. Dinar (Gold, 21 mm, 7.38 g, 3 h), mint I (‘Ktesiphon’). ‘mzdysn bgy šhpwhry MRKAn MRKA ʾyrʾn MNW ctry MN yzdʾn’ = ‘mazdēsn bay Šābuhr šāhān šāh Ērān kē čihr az yaz(a)dān’ (‘The Mazda-worshipping Lord Shapur, King of Kings of the Iranians, whose essence is from the gods’ in Pahlavi) Diademed and draped bust of Shapur I to right, wearing mural crown with a great korymbos on top and long earflaps; long beard with two rings and thick tufts of curly hair at the back; two ribbons rising from behind head; one pellet above the ribbons and two below. Rev. ‘NWRA ZY – šhpwhry’ = ‘ādur ī Šābuhr’ (‘Fire of Shapur’ in Pahlavi) Zoroastrian fire altar flanked by two regal attendants wearing mural crowns and holding scepters; in upper left field, the symbol of ‘frawahr’, the guardian spirit of kingship and the emblem of the royal treasury. Göbl type I/1. SNS I, type IIc/1b, style P. Very minor deposits and roughness on the obverse, otherwise, good extremely fine.

From a European collection, formed before 2005.