ISLAMIC, Umayyad Caliphate. temp. 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, AH 65-86 / AD 685-705. Pashiz (Bronze, 20 mm, 1.34 g, 12 h), BYŠ (Bishapur), in the name of a certain Ābāy. Byzantine-style facing bust with a smaller bust to left; to right, ‘ʾp̄ʾd’ (‘Ābāy’ in Pahlavi); to left, ‘GDE ʾp̄zwt’, i.e. ‘xwarrah abzūd’ (‘[may his] glory increase’ in Pahlavi). Rev. The legendary Gōpadšāh ( = crowned human-headed bull) to right; to left, ‘ʾp̄ʾt byšʾp̄hr’, i.e. ‘ābād Bēšābuhr’ (‘Prosperous Bishapur’ in Pahlavi). Album 43. Very rare. Areas of weakness and with some earthen deposits, otherwise, good fine.


The design of the obverse is derived from the Byzantine gold coinage of Heraclius and his son.