HUNNIC TRIBES, Western Turks. Khorasan. Iltäbär of the Khalaj, 8th century. Drachm (Silver, 29 mm, 3.44 g, 2 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. Nicely toned and unusually attractive. A few deposits, otherwise, very fine.


This intriguing trilingual coin, featuring inscriptions in Bactrian, Brahmi, and Pahlavi, depicts a king named 'Iltäbär,' a title also found in several Bactrian documents from the same period. It has been suggested that 'Iltäbär' might correspond to the Chinese term 'xielifa,' which the Buddhist monk Hyecho (704-787) mentioned in his memoirs as one of the titles of the King of Huttalan. Conversely, the reverse of this coin displays the bust of Adur, the Persian God of Fire.