Bronze drachm, c.640-730 AD, Farankat (Benakan) in Chach, pre-Islamic Central Asia

Bust facing three-quarters right // Farankat tamgha, surrounded by a legend pny ('k)[rty c'c]ynk xwβw n/zyrt “The coin made by the King of Chach N/Zirt” (or, alternatively "The yellow coin made by the King of Chach”). 19mm, 2.48 grams. cf. Zeno-16095; S&K-4.1.

This is the early type with the ruler's bust not topped with a crescent. A number of alternative readings exist. Rare, especially this nice.

The Chach principality was a pre-Islamic political entity centered around the region of Chach, near present-day Tashkent in Uzbekistan. Existing from around the 5th to 8th centuries CE, Chach was a prosperous and strategically important area along the Silk Road, serving as a hub for trade between China, Persia, and the broader Islamic world. It was governed by local rulers known as ikhshids and maintained a degree of independence despite pressures from larger regional powers like the Sogdians, Turkic tribes, and eventually the early Islamic Caliphates. The principality was known for its wealth, fortified cities, and vibrant blend of Iranian, Turkic, and local Central Asian cultures. Chach's autonomy ended in the early 8th century, when it was gradually absorbed during the Muslim conquest of Transoxiana.