Persian anonymous copper. Circa 17th-18th centuries (?). Falus (Copper, 20 mm, 4.78 g, 2 h), uncertain mint. Lion standing to right, tail lowered; sun rising from its back. Rev. Lion standing to right, tail raised. ‘Alā’ al-Dīnī -. cf. Valentine 180 (lion to left). Exceedingly rare. The usual areas of weakness and some scrapes, otherwise, good fine.



This is a highly unusual specimen. Double-lion types in Iranian civic copper coinage are quite rare and typically depict identical motifs on both sides, either both with a sun face (Zeno #175918) or both without (Zeno #68856). The present coin combines a lion with sun on the obverse with a plain lion on the reverse, a configuration that appears to be exceedingly rare.