ISLAMIC, 'Abbasid Caliphate. temp. Al-Mahdi, AH 158-169 / AD 775-785. Hemidrachm (Silver, 25 mm, 1.78 g, 11 h), citing governor Nusayr, al-Rayy, AH 168 = AD 784/5. Draped Sasanian-style bust to right, wearing elaborate crown; behind head, ‘GDE ʾp̄zwt’ (‘[may his] glory increase’ in Pahlavi); before head, ‘nwsyl’ (‘Nusayr’ in Pahlavi); in outer margin to left and right, ‘n[y]wk' ˗ ʾp̄d’ (‘good ˗ wonderful’ in Pahlavi). Rev. Fire altar, flanked by two attendants; above altar, two pellets; to left and right, ‘bi’l-Rayy sana ˗ thamān wa sittīn wa miʾa’ (‘In Rayy in the year 168’ in Arabic). Album L73. Extremely rare. Areas of weakness and edge cracks, otherwise, good very fine.