SASANIAN KINGS. Shapur I, 240-272. Dinar (Gold, 21 mm, 7.43 g, 3 h), type IIc/1b, style P, mint I (‘Ctesiphon’), 258-272. 𐭭𐭠𐭣𐭦𐭩 𐭭𐭬 𐭩𐭥𐭲𐭰 𐭥𐭭𐭬 𐭭𐭠𐭥𐭩𐭠 𐭠𐭪𐭥𐭬 𐭭𐭠𐭪𐭥𐭬 𐭩𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭯𐭧𐭱 𐭩𐭢𐭡 𐭭𐭮𐭩𐭣𐭦𐭬 (‘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. 𐭩𐭦 𐭠𐭥𐭥𐭭 - 𐭩𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭯𐭧𐭱 (‘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; the symbol of ‘frawahr’ in the upper field to the left of the flames. Göbl type I/1. SNS I, type IIc/1b. Very well struck on a broad flan. Light deposits on the obverse, otherwise, good extremely fine.

The symbol of ‘frawahr’, the guardian spirit in Zoroastrianism, not only referred to the guardian spirit of kingship, but was also used as the emblem of the royal treasury.