LOCAL ISSUES, Sogdiana. Bukhara. Anonymous, circa AD 710-740. Drachm (Silver, 32 mm, 3.00 g), ‘Mug’ Bukhar Khudat type imitating the Sasanian Bahram V’s drachms. Crowned bust to right, before head ‘pwxʾr xwβ kʾw’ = ‘Puxār xūβ Kaw’ (‘King of Bukhara, Kaw’ in Sogdian); behind head, distorted Pahlavi legend; triskelion tamgha countermarked on the margin. Rev. Fire altar flanked by two attendants, totally stylized. Lurje 524. Zeno 189001. Very rare. Edge splits, otherwise, good very fine.


Kaw, the name of a Bukhar Khudat of the 7th century, was used by later Bukhar Khudats as a hereditary name. This name was previously wrongly transliterated as kʾnʾ. Drachms of this type are called ‘Mug’ as the first known hoard was found on Mount Mug in Tajikistan.