Coins struck at Hamadan
1 catalogued coin and note attributed to Hamadan, with weights, legends, dates and Wikimedia-sourced images across Sasanian Empire.
In short
Hamadan is ancient Ecbatana, the Median capital and Achaemenid summer residence, and it remained a working mint through the Parthian, Sasanian and Islamic periods into Qajar times. Hamadan is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 224 CE – 242 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Drachm denominations, issued under Ardashir I (founder).
- Catalogued
- 1
- Eras
- 1
- Metals
- 1
- Denominations
- 1
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 224 CE – 242 CE |
| Eras represented | Sasanian Empire |
| Metals | Silver |
| Denominations | Drachm |
| Issuers | Ardashir I (founder) |
| Ancient name | Ecbatana / Agbatana |
| Role | Median capital, Achaemenid summer residence |
| Coinage span | Parthian to Qajar |
| Position | Zagros junction on the Khorasan road |
Ecbatana under many names
Greek writers called it Agbatana or Ecbatana; Sasanian and Islamic sources call it Hamadan. Its altitude made it the summer capital of the Achaemenid court, and its position on the Khorasan road kept it commercially important long after its political peak.
Parthian drachms and Sasanian silver attributed to the Hamadan region are relatively common, and the mint signature recurs in Islamic-era gold and silver under Buyid, Seljuq and later authorities.
Why the mint endures
Mints survive where routes and revenue survive. Hamadan sits at the junction of the routes linking Mesopotamia to the plateau, so successive states needed a fiscal presence there regardless of who held the capital.
That continuity gives collectors a rare option: a single-city collection spanning Parthian, Sasanian, Buyid, Seljuq, Safavid and Qajar issues from one place, with a coherent economic narrative attached.
Sasanian Empire · 224 – 651 CE
Era overview →Frequently asked about Hamadan
- Is Hamadan the same as Ecbatana?
- Yes. Modern Hamadan occupies the site of ancient Ecbatana, the Median capital and later the Achaemenid summer residence.
- What coins were minted at Hamadan?
- Parthian and Sasanian silver, Islamic-era gold and silver under Buyid, Seljuq and later dynasties, and Safavid and Qajar issues — one of Iran's longest-running mint traditions.
- What coins were struck at Hamadan?
- Hamadan is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 224 CE – 242 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Drachm denominations, issued under Ardashir I (founder).
- How many Hamadan pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 1 item, dated 224 CE – 242 CE, spread across 1 era: Sasanian Empire.
- Which metals were used for Hamadan coinage?
- Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Which denominations are associated with Hamadan?
- Drachm. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.