Kavad I, 1st reign
 

Son of Peroz I. Possible short reign/investiture 484 AD; 1st reign, 488 - 496 AD (interrupted by Zamasp); 2nd reign 498/9 - 531 AD. I'm having a slight problem assigning regnal years to AD dates for Kavad (and making them fit the different terms of his reign); for now I think I'll use: year 1 = 488 AD, year 11 = 498 AD (2nd reign start), year 33 = 520 AD, and year 43 = 530 AD. There were obviously important events occuring in years 11, 13, 20, possibly 25, and 33.
 

Denominations: D/6; d, Obol; U, U/12
 

Kavad I, 1st reign: Twenty (20) mints listed in SNS: AH, AM, ART, AS, AT, AW, AY, BN, BYSh, GD, GW, KA, KL, LD, LYW, MA, MY, ST, ShY, WH as listed in SNS. BHL (see below) [check].
 

Kavad I, 2nd reign: Thirty-nine (39) listed in SNS: AH, ALM, AM, AP, APL, ART, AS, AT, AW, AY, AYL, AYLAN, BN, BYST, BYSh, BShT, DA, DYWAN, DYWAS, DYWAT, GD, GNCKL, GW, HL, KA, KL, LD, LYW, MA, ML, MY, NY, PL, ST, Sh, ShY, WH, WYH, WYHC.
 

Regnal year to AD date conversion:
 

 

REGNAL YEAR	AD YEAR	NOTES	REGNAL YEAR	AD YEAR	NOTES
1	488	1st crown; vertical shoulder ribbons	23	510
2	489		24	511
3	490		25	512
4	491		26	513
5	492		27	514
6	493		28	515
7	494		29	516
8	495		30	517
9	496	Reign of Zamasp	31	518
10	497	Reign of Zamasp	32	519
11	498	Reign of Zamasp First dated issue (of Kavad)	33	520	Double reverse border
12	499		34	521
13	500	2nd crown; diadem ends through top border Horizontal shoulder ribbons; stars and crescents outside border on obverse	35	522	Juan-juan leader, P'o-lo-men, flees to Hephthalites.
14	501		36	523
15	502		37	524
16	503		38	525
17	504		39	526
18	505		40	527
19	506		41	528
20	507	Star before bust; annulets disappear from garment Back to vertical shoulder ribbons	42	529
21	508		43	530
22	509	Hephthalites seize Sogdiana.

 

 

Gobl I/1 issue: 1st crown (crescent type) no date/vertical diadem ends; single reverse border
 

22k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AR Drachm
Mint: WH
Regnal year: none/king's name
28 mm.
4.02 gm.
Mitchiner ACW 1015v.; Gobl SN I/1v.
Diameter of obverse dotted border=21 mm.; diameter of reverse border=21 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Obverse: Meaningless dots/blundered 'KaVAT' to right.
Reverse: Design on either side of altar has 3 pellets to right, 4 pellets to left (!). An early issue.
Note: This coin has an extremely odd style. Perhaps the die engraver wasn't exactly sure who the new king was going to be...
 

21K JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AR Drachm
Mint: KA
Regnal year: none/king's name
27 x 28 mm.
3.93 gm.
Gobl SN I/1
Diameter of obverse dotted border=21 mm.; diameter of reverse border=21 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Obverse:
Reverse:
Note: Odd style; courtesy William B. Warden, Jr. collection.
 

20k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AR Drachm
Mint: AY
Regnal year: none/king's name
27 x 29 mm.
3.80 gm.
Mitchiner ACW 1016, Gobl SN I/1v.
Diameter of obverse dotted border=21 mm.; diameter of reverse border=21 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Obverse: Pahlavi legend'KaVA' base inwards.
Reverse:
 

23k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AR Drachm
Mint: GW (?)
Regnal year: none/blundered king's name
28 x 30 mm.
4.09 gm.
Gobl SN I/1
Diameter of obverse dotted border=21 mm.; diameter of reverse border=22 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Obverse: Pahlavi legend'KaVA' base inwards.
Reverse:
 

31k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AR Drachm
Mint: BHL
Regnal year: none/king's name
28 mm.
3.59 gm.
Gobl SN I/1
Diameter of obverse dotted border=22 mm.; diameter of reverse border=23 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Obverse: Pahlavi legend'KaVA' base inwards.
Reverse:
 

26k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AR Drachm
Mint: T
Regnal year: none
28 x 30 mm.
3.90 gm.
Gobl SN I/1
Diameter of obverse dotted border=23 mm.; diameter of reverse border=25 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Obverse: No Pahlavi legend.
Reverse:
Note: This is an imitation.
 

8k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AR Hemi-obol (?)
Mint: BYSh
Regnal year: none (?) [looks like 'SSh']
13 mm.
0.46 gm.
Mitchiner ACW -, Sellwood ISC -, Gobl SN -
Diameter of obverse dotted border=9 mm.; diameter of reverse border=9 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Obverse:
Reverse:
Note: Courtesy Robert W. Schaaf collection. Struck from 1/6 Dinar dies (?)
 

9k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AE 1/6 Unit
Mint: BYSh
Regnal year: (?)
17 x 18 mm.
0.77 gm.
Gobl SN I/1
Diameter of obverse dotted border=13 mm.; diameter of reverse border=14 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Large 300%/150 dpi scan obv/rev [73K JPG]
Obverse: Three diadems through border at 2h, 6h, 10h.
Reverse:
Note: Courtesy Robert W. Schaaf collection.
 

6k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AE 1/6 Unit
Mint: (?)
Regnal year: (?)
12 mm.
0.95 gm.
Gobl SN I/1
Diameter of obverse dotted border=7 mm.; diameter of reverse border=9 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Large 300%/150 dpi scan obv/rev [43K JPG]
Obverse:
Reverse:
Note: Courtesy Robert W. Schaaf collection.

 

Gobl I/1 issue: 1st crown (crescent type) dated years 11 and 12/vertical diadem ends; single reverse border
 

21k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AR Drachm
498 AD
Mint: LD
Regnal year: 11
28 x 29 mm.
3.98 gm.
Gobl SN I/1; Mochiri ENIS II 1150
Diameter of obverse dotted border=21 mm.; diameter of reverse border=21 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Obverse:
Reverse:
Note: Courtesy Robert W. Schaaf collection.
 

25k JPG
Kavad I (First reign 488 - 497 AD)
AR Drachm
498 AD
Mint: AW
Regnal year: 11
28 x 29 mm.
3.92 gm.
Gobl SN I/1; Mochiri ENIS II 1150
Diameter of obverse dotted border=20 mm.; diameter of reverse border=23 mm.
Die position=3h
reverse
Obverse:
Reverse:
 

http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/sasania/sas_kavI_1a.html

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