Vakhtang, son of Demetrius II of Georgia from his Trapezuntine wife, was chosen by the Ilkhan Ghazan Mahmud in 1302 to succeed his brother David VIII, who had led a revolt against the Mongols. Only Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, and a portion of the eastern and southern regions of the kingdom were under Vakhtang’s control. The brothers decided to share kingdom after an unsuccessful campaign against David’s guerillas. Vakhtang, however, was destined to spend the most of his reign leading the Georgian and Armenian auxiliary forces in never-ending Mongol campaigns.

This beautiful and rare silver Drachm of Ghazan Mahmud (1295-1304 AD) the Ilkhan of Mongol minted in Georgia (Tiflis) around Ah698 (=1298/99 AD) and bears the name of the king Valhtang III on the reverse.