Coins from Media
Media is a region of north-western Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Medes. During the Achaemenid period, it comprised present-day Azarbaijan, Iranian Kurdistan and western Tabaristan. As a satrapy under Achaemenid rule, it would eventually encompass a wider region, stretching to southern Dagestan in the north.

Alexander the Great occupied Media in 330, and in the partition of his empire, southern Media was given to the Macedonian commander Peithon and eventually passed to the Seleucids, but the north was left to Atropates, a former general of Darius III, who succeeded in founding an independent kingdom, named Atropatene, with its capital at Gazaca.

Southern Media remained a province of the Seleucid empire for a century and a half, and Hellenism was introduced everywhere. About 152 BC, however, Media was taken by the Parthian king Mithradates I, and it remained subject to the Arsacids until about AD 226, when it passed, together with Atropatene, to the Sāsānians.
Media
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An AR Drachm struck 579-590 AD in Rayy
Obverse: Crowned Bust of Hormizd IV to right

Reverse: Zoroastrian fire altar with two attendants

Diameter: -
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.1 g
No notes for this coin
No references provided for this coin
(2) Khosrow I?
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An AR Drachm struck 531-579 AD in Rayy
Obverse: Crowned bust right

Reverse: Fire altar flanked by attendants

Diameter: -
Die Orientation: -
Weight: -
No notes for this coin
No references provided for this coin
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An AR Tetradrachm struck 123-88 BC in Media
Obverse: Bare head bust 1., with medium beard, wearing diadem.

Reverse: Archer seated right on omphalos holding bow, palm branch in field to right, TV in exergue.

Diameter: 24.4 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 15.67 g
No notes for this coin
No references provided for this coin
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An AR Drachm struck 119-109 BC in Ecbatana
Obverse: bearded diademed bust left

Reverse: archer without beard, with cloak and bashlyk seated on throne, holding bow; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ

Diameter: 22 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.16 g
No notes for this coin
Sellwood 26.1; Shore 77
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An AR Drachm struck 123-88 BC in Media
Obverse: Long-bearded bust left wearing tiara

Reverse: Beardless archer wearing bashlyk and cloak seated right on throne, holding bow in right hand; no border; six-line Greek inscription

Diameter: -
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.07 g
No notes for this coin
Sellwood 29, feine Tönung, kl.Sr., ss
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An AR Drachm struck 87-79 BCE in Rhagai
Obverse: Bearded bust left wearing tiara with eight-pointed star, pellet ended torque

Reverse: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ (Beardless archer wearing bashlyk and cloak seated right on throne, holding bow in right hand)

Diameter: 21.84 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.17 g
No notes for this coin
Sellwood 31.6
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An AR Drachm struck 87-79 BC in Ecbatana
Obverse: bearded bust with tiara

Reverse: archer without beard, with cloak and bashlyk seated on throne, holding bow; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ, Δ above foot

Diameter: 19.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.02 g
Selwood's Orodes I
Sellwood 31.5 (Orodes I); Shore 123 (Orodos I); SGCV II 7389 (Orodos I); BMC Parthia p. 42, 4 (Sinatruces); Sunrise 308 var. (legend arrangement)
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An AR Drachm struck 57-38 BC in Ecbatana
Obverse: bearded and diademed bust left, wart on forehead, torque ends in griffin, star left, crescent over star right

Reverse: archer seated on throne right, wearing balshyk and cloak, holding bow, anchor with trident-like end behind; BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN APΣAKOY EYEPΓETOY ΔIKAIOY EΠIΦANOYΣ ΦIΛEΛΛHNOΣ, (TA)

Diameter: 19 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4 g
No notes for this coin
Shore 261, Sellwood 48.9, Sunrise 381, SNG Cop 96; BMC Parthia p. 91, 195
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An AR Drachm struck 57-38 BC in Ecbatana
Obverse: bearded and diademed bust left, wart on forehead, torque ends in griffin, star left, crescent over star right

Reverse: archer seated on throne right, wearing balshyk and cloak, holding bow, anchor with trident-like end behind; BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN APΣAKOY EYEPΓETOY ΔIKAIOY EΠIΦANOYΣ ΦIΛEΛΛHNOΣ / (TA)

Diameter: 18 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.9 g
No notes for this coin
Shore 261, Sellwood 48.9, Sunrise 381, SNG Cop 96; BMC Parthia p. 91, 195
(10) Pacorus II
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An AR Drachm struck 78-105 AD in Ecbatana
Obverse: draped bust left wearing tiara with short pointed straight beard, ear visible, wearing tiara ornamented with hooks along crest, diadem with five bands, loop behind, three diadem ends, torque without visible end

Reverse: archer without beard, with cloak and bashlyk seated on throne, holding bow; (TAI) ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ // ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ // ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ / ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ // ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ / ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ

Diameter: 24 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.2 g
No notes for this coin
Sellwood 77.8 (Pakoros II); Sunrise 434; Shore 399 (Pakoros II)
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An AR Drachm struck 111-146 AD in Ecbatana
Obverse: diademed bust with long beared and earring

Reverse: archer without beard, with cloak and bashlyk seated on throne, holding bow ;ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩN ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ, Φ_(TA) monogram

Diameter: 16.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.7 g
No notes for this coin
Sellwood 78.3; Shore 413-4.
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An AR Drachm struck 105 - 147 BC in Ecbatana
Obverse: Bare-headed bust left with long pointed beard; wearing diadem with loop at the top; s, earring visible. Neck torque contains row of pellets; beaded border.

Reverse: Archer seated right on throne holding bow. Greek inscription ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ or similar, below bow

Diameter: 20 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.43 g
No notes for this coin
Sellwood Type 78 var