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CLASSICAL RARITIES

SS LAMAC COINAGE
Wednesday, 25 April 2012

The Westbury Hotel

Bond Street
Mayfair London, W1S 2YF
The Pine Room
5.00 pm precisely

view this auction and send bids via the internet:

WWW.THE-SALEROOM.COM/ Baldwins
WWW.SIXBID.COM

AH Baldwin & Sons Ltd, 11 Adelphi Terrace, London WC2N 6B]

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7930 9808, Fax: +44 (0)20 7930 9450, email: [email protected]
www.baldwin.co.uk
INTRODUCTION
A. H. Baldwin & Sons Ltd are proud to present this incredible
auction we have entitled “CLAssICAL RARITIES OF ISLAMIC COINAGE”,
which isa truly unparalleled catalogue offering 150 lots of beautiful
Islamic coins. The interest in this subject has grown internationally
in recent years, with new collectors regularly asking us to help
them build their collections. We have chosen to celebrate our 140"
Year in business and nearly 15 years of holding specialist Islamic
auctions with this spectacular event in order to serve the interest
of collectors, museums and institutions.

The auction begins with four Sasanian style silver coins from the
Iranian world followed by a unique lead document Seal which records an important act of the first
Umayyad Caliph Mu’awiya bin Abi Sufyan, and a mint tool of Muhammad bin Marwan, brother of
the Caliph ‘Abd al-Malik. This takes the form of a glass weight that governs the seven to ten ratio
between the Mithqal and the Dirham, the earliest mention of this famous coinage standard.

Among the other great treasures in this auction are a remarkable group of Umayyad Gold Dinars,
including the famous coin of 105h struck in Ma’dan Amir al-Mu’minin bi'l-Hyaz (Mine of the Commander
of the Faithful in the Hijaz) in uncirculated condition. There is also a full set of Dinars of every year (lot 9),
beginning with the much sought after year 77h and ending with that of 132h, as well as the first Abbasid
type Dinars struck in the same year (lots 50-51). The sale continues with a series of Abbasid Dinars from
various mints whose gold coinage is unknown or extremely rare, and ends with the last Abbasid coin
struck in Madinat al-Salam (Baghdad) in 656h, the final year of the dynasty in Iraq (lot 84).

This spectacular event then offers the largest group ever assembled of Dinars and Dirhams struck in
the Holy City of Makka. This includes the famous gold Dinar dated 252h, struck from gold which
had been used to cover the Makam Ibrahim outside the Ka’ba (lot 93), an unrecorded silver Dirham
issued in the same year (lot 94), the excessively rare Ikhshidid Abu’l-Misk Kafur gold Dinar struck
in 357h naming Kafur as ruler in his own right (lot 103) and a previously unknown Fatimid coin of
al-Mustansir with the mint name Madinat Rasul Allah (City of God’s Messenger) dated 450h (lot 106).
The last coin in this series is a unique pattern guinea of the first gold coinage of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia (lot 107).

There are two extraordinary coins of the first Rasulid ruler of the Yemen, al-Mansur ‘Umar, which
were manufactured to mark his pilgrimage to the Holy Cities in Mina (a suburb of Makka) in 636h,
one struck in gold, the other silver (lots 121 and 122).

Next we can see an exciting selection of rare coins, all of which are highly desirable for connoisseur
collectors of Islamic coins from all periods. One of the most artistic items to be offered here is a
Renaissance Medal bearing a portrait of the young Mehmed Fatih which provides the most accurate
likeness that we have of this great ruler (lot 129). The Ottoman gold Five Ashrafi of Ahmad
III (lot
130) is considered to be one of the most beautiful coins ever to have been struck and was often
kept
as a family treasure.
 Every lot in the amazing auction is worthy of mention but of
special note in the later stages are a gold Guinea issued by the
Mahdi of the Sudan (lot 133) and two spectacular presentation
Dinars struck by the Ilkhan Uljaytu and his son Abu-Sa’id in
Baghdad (lots 141 and 142). These are followed by three gold
coins of their ephemeral successors, including Sati Beg Khatun,
the only female ruler to be represented in the sale.

The sale comes to a close with a splendid gold medal of the Qajar
ruler Nasir al-din Shah and a coin that was issued to mark his
return to Tehran after his European tour.

A note about rarity

There are no common coins in the sale, and most, if not all, are at least very rare, while many are
extremely rare or previously unrecorded. Where practicable, the references used in this catalogue
include the number of specimens known for individual items. The lead seal of Mu’awiya (lot 5),
the glass weight of Muhammad bin Marwan (lot 6), and the medal of Mehmed Fatih (lot 129) are all
unique as far as we are aware at this time. However, we feel that endless repetition of superlatives,
however well deserved, can be tiresome and devalue the item they are used to describe.

Baldwin’s hopes that you will find this

auction catalogue both interesting and useful.
Our team has worked hard to ensure that the
information herein is accurate and informative
in the wish that this catalogue may be used
as a work of reference in the future and an
inspiration for your collection of Islamic coins,
and, of course, that you will find something in
these pages to buy. If you have any questions
at all about this auction and the items being
offered, please do not hesitate to contact us at
[email protected]

The auction is being held at 5 o’clock in the

evening of Wednesday 25" April at the Westbury
Hotel in Mayfair, central London. We sincerely
hope that you will be able to join us for what
promises to be a memorable event.
Date of Sale: Wednesday 25 April 2012
One Session 5.00 pm Lots 1-150

Public View: Wednesday 25 April 2012

A H Baldwin and Sons Ltd
11 Adelphi Terrace, London WC2N 6B]

9.30 am - 3.00 pm

Viewing at all other times by appointment at

11 Adelphi Terrace during the preceding one week
9.30 am - 4.00 pm, Monday to Friday

of Sale: Arab Sasanian / Arab Byzantine Lots 1-7

Order
Umayyad Lots 8-47
Abbasid Lots 48-87
Coins struck in The Holy City of Makka Lots 88-107
Spanish Umayyad Lot 108
Nasrid of Granada Lot 109
Al-Murabitid Lot 110
Sa’adian Sharifs Lot 111
Fatimid Lots 112-117
Ayyubid Lots 118-119
Bahri Mamluk Lot 120
Rasulid Lots 121-123
Qaramita of Bahrain Lots 124-126
Burid Lot 127
Rum Saljuq Lot 128
Ottoman and Ottoman Egypt Lots 129-132
Mahdi of The Sudan Lot 133
Alid of Tabaristan Lot 134
Batinid Kot 135
Dulafid Lots 136-137
Harthamid Lot 138
Saljugq of Kirman Lote 139
Afrasiyabid Lot 140
Ikhan Lots 141-147
Qutlughkhanid Lot 148

Qajar Lots 149-150

Currency: Pounds Sterling (GBP)

Buyer’s Premium: 20.00% (plus VAT)

Catalogue Editor: André de Clermont

Design and Layout: Seth Freeman
Photography: Laurent Stainvurcel
Consultant: Robert Darley-Doran
 CLASSICAL RARITIES

“ISLAMIC COINAGE
ARAB SASANIAN

il Anonymous, Silver Drachm, obv Sasanian bust to right, in Kufic script Muhammad rasul Allah in
front of bust in, Allah in Kufic retrograde to left behind bust, bism Allah in margin between 3 and 6
o'clock, rev mobehds (attendant priests) flanking fire altar, YZ (= Yazd) mint abbreviation in usual
place of date on left, 3.01g (unrecorded, but see Album, Checklist, 34C). Clipped, good very fine and
very rare. £8,000-10,000
On this remarkable coin the second statement of the kalima appears in place of the governor’s name in front of the Sasanian
ruler’s face. The dating of this type is difficult, but as Muhammad rasul Allah appears on a Drachm of Damascus dated 72h,
when the kalima was being introduced to other anonymous coinages, it is likely that this coin was struck at about the this time.
It is a previously unrecorded type from a rare mint.
Arab-Ephthalite, “Gorigo Shah” (c.68-69h), Silver Drachm
, Anbir (in Jurjan) 68h, 3.71g (Walker Arab
Sassanian p.128:247; Album Checklist 90). Good very fine and very rare.
£5,000-6,000
The Drachms of the Arab Hephthalites are similar to those
of the Arab Sasanians. This one is of the first type with the
name in Bactrian script, and a further Bactrian governor’s
legend around the reverse. The only known
Gorigo Shah’s name appears as zolooo gozogano presumably mints are Anbir and Marw. Here
meaning “the zolo of Juzjan” of which Anbir is the capital.
particularly fine specimen of its type, which circula This is a
ted alongside regular Arab Sasanian Drachms.
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Ziyad b. Qatran, Silver Drachm, Hamadhan 61h, obv Sasanian bust to right, Ziyad bin Qatran in
front, bism Allah in margin between 3 and 6 o'clock, rev mohbeds (attendant priests) flanking fire altar,
AHMTAN (= Hamadhan) to right, AYWShASTI (= 61h) to left, 2.85g (unrecorded for both governor and
mint name). Clipped, good very fine and very rare. £18,000-20,000
This previously unpublished coin is remarkable in that it spells out the full name of the mint AHMTAN in Pahlawi script. It is
the latest recorded Arab Sasanian Drachm from this mint which, on the Khusraw II types and those of Ziyad bin Abi Sufyan,
inscribe the Pahlawi mint abbreviation AHM.
Abbasid Governor of Tabaristan, Rawh b. Hatim, al-Mahdi
as heir, Silver Hemidrachm, Tabaristan
146h, 1.94g (unpublished by Malek, see Album S73). Good very fine and
very rare. £5,000-6,000
This is a previously unrecorded type of Hemidrachm of Tabaris
tan where the name of the cali ph al-Mahdi as heir appears on the
obverse, and that of the Governor Rawh bin Hatim, with
the mint and date in Kufic, on the reverse. Rawh also struck regular
Abbasid Dirhams from Tabaristan in the second year
of his governorship, 147h.
Umayyad, Mu’awiya b. Abi Sufyan (41-60h), Uniface Lead Seal, c.44h/664 CE, in unpointed Kufic
script, mimma ‘amara bi-hi/amir al-mu’minin/Mu‘awtya bi-‘azl a/l-amir ‘Abd Allah bin ‘A/mir min wilaya
fi-/al-Basra, “among those things ordered by the Commander of the Faithful Mu’awiya to dismiss the
Amir ‘Abd Allah bin ‘Amir from the rule of al-Basra”, unlike most seals this was not attached with
a cord through a drilled hole but rather by a ring attached at 12 o’clock, traces of which can be seen
by examining the edge of the seal at the top of the inscription where the mount has been skilfully
removed, 21.53g, thickness 3mm, diameter 35mm. Extremely fine and unique. £250,000-300,000
It is recorded that the Caliph Mu’awiya established two diwans in the Umayyad administration. The first of these, the Diwan
al-Rasa’il, looked after correspondence received by Mu’awiya and drafted his replies. This was handled by his katib (secretary).
Once a document had been drafted, it was passed on to the Diwan al-Khatam, or “office of the seal”, where two or more copies
of each document were made and sealed, at least one to be deposited in the archives while the other was checked, sealed and
dispatched to its recipient. This arrangement was set up as a means of preventing forgeries. Unfortunately, over the succeeding
centuries the Umayyad archives were dispersed and destroyed, and until the discovery of this object no first hand evidence has
survived to corroborate Mu’awiya’s administrative innovations.
Arab historians record that ‘Abd Allah bin Amir bin Kurayz al-Hadrami was dismissed in 44h (664 CE), bringing an end to
his distinguished career. He was a maternal cousin of the Caliph ‘Uthman who appointed him Governor of Basra for the first
time between 29h and 35h, then, still as a partisan of ‘Uthman, he served briefly as Governor of Makka between 35h and 36h.
He became a supporter of Mu’awiya I bin Abi-Sufyan during the period of civil war, and after Mu’awiya was recognised as
head of the Muslim community he named ‘Abd Allah Governor of Basra for the second time in 41h, where he served until his
dismissal in 44h. During this period ‘Abd Allah carried out successful campaigns in the east and was given responsibility for
the provinces of Fars, Sijistan and Khurasan. He was, at this time, the most prominent general serving under Mu’awiya, who
may have become jealous of his success both as a military commander and as a popular civil administrator.
While Mu’awiya is known to have issued coinage only in one year in Fars, at the mints of Darabjird and Fasa, ‘Abd Allah bin
Amir was the first Arab Sasanian governor to place his own name on the silver Drachms struck in eleven mints in Fars, Sijistan
and Khurasan with the name ‘Abd Allah, and eight with the name ‘Abd Allah bin ‘Amir. This perhaps excited the jealousy
of the caliph, who may well have decided to put a stop to such apparent rivalry. After his dismissal ‘Abd Allah went into
obscure retirement, and died in 53h.

This lead seal would have validated both the document delivered to ‘Abd Allah and the official copy that was kept in the Diwan
al-Khatam. It would appear that this is the only contemporary incidence where both Mu’awiya’s and ‘Abd Allah’s names are
inscribed in Arabic rather than in Pahlawi script, as was used on their coins. It also provides contemporary evidence that
Mu’awiya’s name was spelled with an alif after the ‘ayn. This is the only known surviving object documenting Mu’awiya’s
name in Arabic. The few known coins struck in his name show it in Pahlawi. One dedicatory inscription exists with the name
Mu’awiya in Greek on a public building in Palestine.
Muhammad b. Marwan, Governor of the North 73-91h, Glass Weight, 282.13g, 50mm, hadha/ma‘izzan
saba’in/mithgal mi‘a/dirham ‘amara bi-hi/Muhammad bin Marwan, “this standard weight is equal to 70
mithgals 100 dirhams by order of Muhammad bin Marwan”. Broken but skilfully repaired, which makes tt
impossible to determine whether any shards ofglass were lost from the interior surfaces of the break, otherwise
as manufactured and unique. £280,000-320,000
The Caliph ‘Abd al-Malik bin Marwan named his brother Muhammad Governor of Mosul, Azerbaijan and Armenia in the year
73h. Muhammad remained in office until he was dismissed by his nephew, the Caliph al-Walid in 91h, and thereafter he faded
into obscurity.

This standard weight was issued by Muhammad bin Marwan while he was serving as Viceroy of the North, where he would
have been in charge of implementing the Umayyad coinage reform of 77-78h. The piece would have acted as the control tool
against which the mint could validate the standard weight of its precious metal coinage.

It is certainly the earliest surviving documentary evidence of the famous seven to ten ratio between the weight of the Mithqal
and the Dirham, a standard which has survived in traditional usage ever since that time. With this weight a skilled team of
operatives would have been able to establish a mint, it being the central tool around which all other operations of production
would have revolved. It is likely that this piece was used to control and validate the weight of the Umayyad silver Dirhams
known to have been produced in both Azerbaijan and Armenia in the year 78h.

The discovery of this and the previous lot provides precious evidence of the care and precision employed by the Umayyad
administration in the conduct of its business. They also give first hand evidence of the accuracy of subsequent historical
research. The fact that they have both survived, and are in such remarkably good condition, is virtually unprecedented.
ARAB BYZANTINE

74 femp. ‘Abd al-Malik b. Marwan, Dechristianised copy of a Byzantine Gold Solidus of the
Emperor
Heraclius and his two sons, cross removed from the three crowns and the three
orbs converted to three
knobs, undated (c.72-74h), rev the cross has been removed from the vertical
staff which terminates
with a small knob flanked by the letter B to the left and I to the right, in the
margin the legend reads
clockwise from 12 0’clock bism Allah la ilah illa Allah wahda la sharik lahu Muhamma
d rasul Allah (no god
but God unique, He has no associate, Muhammad is the messenge
r of God), 4.40g (Miles, Earliest Arab
Gold Coinage, American Numismatic Society Museum Notes
13, type B, p.210; Bernardi, Arab Gold
Coins 5; Album, Checklist, 3rd edition, 3549). Good very fine and very rare.
£150,000-200,000
This is an obverse die duplicate (in much better condition)
to al- ‘Ush, Arab Islamic Coins in Qatar, vol. 1, no.198 (illustrated on
the spine of the book’s dust jacket). It is the earliest
gold coin to contain the kalima, the Islamic statement of faith,
Although it is undated it clearly pre cedes in its legends.
the Standing Caliph coinage of 74-77h and is attributed to the
years 72-73h.
UMAYYAD

8 Anonymous, Silver Dirham, Wasit 44h (sic), 2.75g (mint and date combination unrecorded by Klat in
Post Reform Dirhams). Very fine and very rare. £8,000-10,000
inexperienced
This coin, while a genuine Umayyad Dirham, bears an impossible mint and date combination. It is possible that an
(eight) in the decade.
die-sinker in the newly-established Wasit mint absent-mindedly repeated arba’ (four) in place of thaman
Such errors are very rarely found in the Umayyad series.
AN EXCEPTIONAL GRouP OF UMAYYAD GOLD COINS
Umayyad Dinars struck
The favourite collecting goal for those interested in Islamic coins is to make up a full set of
between the years 77h and 132h.
Central Asia in
The Umayyad gold Dinar was the currency which powered the expansion of the Islamic community from
the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The gold for this coinage came from the conquests of the Arabian armies and
in the
united the Muslim world into one huge monetary union, much as the British Sovereign was the currency of choice
Dinar of 77 of the
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The earliest coin in the series is the very rare and sought after
Hijra, the year in which the Umayyad Caliph ‘Abd al-Malik bin Marwan ordered the striking of the first coinage bearing
no images and inscribed with legends drawn from the Holy Qur’an. This coin provided the model for all subsequent
Umayyad Dinars, and established the general conventions of Islamic coinage for many centuries to come.

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A Set of the Umayyad reform Gold Coinage, Dinars (56), Anonymous, without mint name
temp. ‘Abd al-Malik b. Marwan: 77h, 4.13¢, possibly ex-mount, polished, very fine;
In the year 77h of the Hijra the Caliph ‘Abd al-Malik introduced a fully Islamic gold coin carrying legends found in the Holy
Qur’an. This is the most sought-after Islamic coin, whose legends set the pattern for centuries to come.

78h, 4.26, graffiti in obverse field, extremely fine; 79h, 4,28g, minor graffiti in reverse field, good very fine,
80h; 4.22, very fine; 81h, 4.22, very fine; 82h, 4.22¢, good very fine;
83h, 4.25¢, graffiti on obv. extremely fine; 84h, 4.21, very fine; 85h, 4.23g, good very fine;
temp. ‘Abd al-Malik/al-Walid I: 86h, 4.03g, very fine;
temp. al-Walid I b. ‘Abd al-Malik: 87h, 4.29g, good very fine; 88h, 4.21g, good very fine; 89h, 4.29¢,
extremely fine; 90h, 4.26g, extremely fine; 91h, 4.17g, slightly clipped, good very fine; 92h, 4.28g, extremely fine;
93h, 4.03¢, clipped, very fine; 94h, 4.27g, about uncirculated; 95h, 4.28, graffiti in obv. field, extremely fine;
temp. al-Walid I/Sulayman: 96h, 4.27¢, good extremely fine;
temp. Sulayman b. ‘Abd al-Malik: 97h, 4.22¢, good very fine; 98h, 4.26g, extremely fine;
temp. Sulayman/‘Umar II: 99h, 3.98¢, clipped, good very fine;
temp. ‘Umar II b. ‘Abd al-’Aziz: 100h, 4.26¢, about uncirculated;
temp. ‘Umar/Yazid II: 101h, 4.23¢, extremely fine;
temp. Yazid II b. ‘Abd al-Malik: 102h, 4.21g, about extremely fine; 103h, 4.19, good very fine;
104h, 4.25¢, extremely fine;
temp. Yazid II/Hisham: 105h, 4.27¢, about uncirculated;
temp. Hisham b. ‘Abd al-Malik: 106h, 4.25¢, uncirculated, 107h; 4.25¢, good very fine; 108h, 4.25, extremely fine;
109h, 4.25g, good extremely fine; 110h, 4.25, good extremely fine; 111h, 4.24g, extremely fine;
112h, 4.25g, good extremely fine; 113h, 4.12g, clipped, good very fine; 114h, 4.27¢, extremely fine;
115h, 4.24¢, extremely fine; 116h, 4.25g, very slight graffiti on rev, uncirculated; 117h, 4.02g, clipped, very fine;
118h, 4.25¢, extremely fine; 119h, 4.21g, good very fine; 120h. 4.25¢, good extremely fine; 121h. 4.26g, uncirculated;
122h, 4.23, good very fine; 123h, 4.20, good very fine; 124h, 4.24g, good very fine;
temp. Hisham/al-Walid II: 125h, 4.16g, slightly clipped, good very fine;
temp. al-Walid I/Yazid I1/Ibrahim: 126h, 4.25g, good very fine;
temp. Ibrahim/Marwan II: 127h, 4.25g, extremely fine;
temp. Marwan II b. Muhammad: 128h, 4.26¢, good very fine; 129h, 4.27¢, good extremely fine;
130h, 4.252, good very fine; 131h, 4.22g, good very fine; 132h, 4.25¢g, about uncirculated.
£300,000-350,000
10¢ = temp. ‘Umar II, Gold Dinar, Ifriqiya 100h, 4.18g (Bernardi 44 Ca, 1 ref). Good extremely fine and extremely
rare. £40,000-50,000
This is the earliest Umayyad post-reform Dinar struck in Ifriqiya, probably in the city of Qayrawan in Tunisia, in 100h. Although
it is a full Dinar, its legends are identical to those found on the %-Dinar denomination from Syria.

Ty hit ‘Umar II/Yazid II, Gold Dinar, Ifriqiya 101h,

4.21g (Bernardi 44 Ca). Extremely fine and
£15,000-20,000
12+ temp. ‘Umar II/Yazid I, Gold %-Dinar/Nisf, without mint name 101h, 2.07g (Bernardi 45). Good very
fine and extremely rare. £6,000-8,000
This is the last recorded %-Dinar struck in the east. The 4-Dinar denomination was much rarer than the thulth or “s-Dinar and
is readily distinguished from the latter by the prominent pellet found below the lower line of the reverse field copied from the
design of the Byzantine semissis.

13+ temp. Yazid II (101-105h), Gold Dinar, Ifriqiya 102h, 4.26g (Bernardi 44 Ca). Extremely fine and
rare. £15,000-20,000
14+ temp. Yazid II, Gold Dinar, al-Andalus 102h, 4.30g (Bernardi 44 Aa). Softly struck in the ihe aaa!
fine and very rare. , ;

15+ temp. Yazid I, Gold %-Dinar/Nisf, al-Andalus 102h, 2.14g (Bernardi 45 Aa). Extremely fine and
extremely rare. £20,000-25,000

16+ temp. Yazid II, Gold % -Dinar/Thulth, al-Andalus 102h,

1.46g (Bernardi 46 Aa). About uncirculated and
extremely rare.
£20,000-25,000
While all three of the coins in lots 14 to 16 are
individual ly very rare, to have all three offered in one sale is a
Opportunity. At present the only known set truly exceptional
is in the Am erican Numismatic Society in New York.
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ily temp. Yazid II/Hisham, Gold Dinar, Ma’dan al-Mu’minin al-Hijaz (“Mine of the Commander of
the Faithful (in) the Hijaz”) 105h, 4.27g (Bernardi 48 Ed; Album 134K). Uncirculated and extremely
rare. £1,500,000-2,000,000

Thisis arguably the most important coin ever struck in the Arabian Peninsula. Itis the earliest gold coin which namesa locality in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in this case the birthplace of the Faith, the Hijaz, the land of the Holy Cities of Makka and Medina.

This extremely rare Dinar is considered to be of gold mined at the Ma’dan Amir al-Mu’minin bi’l Hijaz, “the Mine of the
Commander of the Faithful in the Hijaz”. Dr George C Miles, the most eminent Islamic numismatist of the twentieth century,
identifies this mint with Ma‘dan (later Harrah) Bani Sulaym, southeast of Madina and northwest of Makka, on the pilgrimage
route between Baghdad and Makka. Arab historians record that the Umayyad Caliph ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz bought a piece
of land, on which there was a mine, from Bilal bin al-Harith, who had received the land from the Prophet Muhammad himself.
It is also virtually certain that Ma’dan Bani Sulaym is today’s Mahd al-Dhahab, the site of the gold mine worked by the Saudi
Arabian Mining Syndicate.
18+ temp. Hisham, Gold Dinar, Ifriqiya 114h, 4.26g (Bernardi 43
Ca). Metal defect on the obverse at 3 o'clock,
good very fine and extremely rare.
£50,000-60,000
By this time the legends on the gold Dinars in both east and
west followed the same wording and pattern, with the excepti
the Umayyad mints in Ifriqiya and al-Andalus which on of
also bore their mint names in the reverse marginal
legend
19+ temp. Hisham, Gold Dinar, Ifrigiya 122h, 4.27g (Bernardi 43Ca, the latest Dinar recorded from Ifriqiya).
Slightly double struck on the obverse, otherwise extremely fine and extremely rare. £50,000-60,000
It is possible that this coinage was struck to support the first Muslim campaign against the Byzantines in Sicily.
AN EXCEPTIONAL GROUP OF UMAYYAD SILVER DIRHAMS

20+ temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Bardasir 79h, 2.93g (Klat Post-Reform Umayyad Dirhams 158, 1 ref)
Stained in places, otherwise extremely fine and very rare. £8,000-10,000
Bardasir is the first of the five khurras (districts) in the province of Kirman, at the location of the modern city of Kirman.

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21 temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Bizamqubadh 79h, 2.77g (Klat 160, 2 refs). Cleaned, very fine and
very rare. £8,000-10,000
Bizamqubadh was apparently the original name of the town of Arrijan, the principal town of the third khurra in the province
of Fars.

22+ temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, al-Zawabi 79h, 2.94¢

(Klat 414, 1 ref). Crude, about extremely fine
and extremely rare.
£20,000-25,000
While the mint name is clearly inscribed, the locality has
not been fully identified. One expert considers that it
was in Iraq.
ex Islamic Coin Auction 14, Baldwin’s,
July 2008, lot 29
23 temp. “Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Fil 79h, 2.78g (Klat 514, 16 refs). Very fine, ex-mount. £6,000-8,000
Fil (which means elephant) is an unsatisfactory reading. The town of Fil, known to have been to have been in Afghanistan, had
not yet been conquered at this time. However, other readings have not yielded any better alternative.

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24 temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Mah al-Basra 79h, 2.71g (Klat 550, 13 refs). About extremely fine
and rare. £4,000-5,000
Mah al-Basra was the Arab name for the town of Nihawand in the province of Jibal. It received its name because its revenues
were allocated to pay the pensions of veterans in al-Basra in Iraq.

25 temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Risha (= Ras al-‘Ayn) 80h, 3.07g (date for mint unrecorded by
Klat). Ringed, pierced and plugged, otherwise very fine and extremely rare. £10,000-12,000
The name Risha was originally read as “Ralsa”, which was an unsatisfactory reading for an enigmatic mint name. Coins from
this mint, located on the greater Khabur River in the Diyar Rabia district of al-Jazira, have recently been reattributed to Risha.
This town was known in classical times as Resaina, while in Syriac it was Resh ‘Ayna, and in Arabic Ras al-‘Ayn - literally
“springhead”.
26 temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Hirat 80h, obv mint name in Pahlawi in fourth line, 2.77g (variety
unrecorded by Klat). Oxidised surfaces, about extremely fine and rare. £10,000-12,000
This is the third mint in Khurasan which inscribed its mint name in both Arabic and in Pahlawi on its reform-style Umayyad
Dirhams, the others being Marw and Marw al-Rud. Presumably inscribing the mint in both languages was a service to its
Pahlawi-reading public, but the practice was soon abandoned.

poy temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Dasht-i

Maysan 80h, 2.68g (Klat 319, 9 refs). Oxidised surfaces
about extremely fine and rare.
£4,000-5 000
Dasht-i Maysan is a flat and desolate piece of oil-ric
h land adjoining the Shatt al-Arab on the border
of Iran and southern Iraq.
28 temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Nahr Tira 80h, 2.83g (Klat 638, 10 refs). Cleaned, good very fine and
rare. £4,000-5,000
Nahr Tira is a town in Khuzistan in south-western Iran.

29 temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Ramhurmuz 81h, 2.60g (Klat 381, 1 ref). About very fine and
extremely rare. £6,000-8,000
Ramhurmuz is another town in the province of Khuzistan.

BOT temp. ‘Abd al-Malik, Silver Dirham, Tawwaj 82h, 2.91g (Klat 199, the only date recorded, 2 refs).
Extremely fine and extremely rare. £15,000-20,000
Tawwaj was an important commercial town on the trade route between Shiraz and the port of Jannaba in the province of Fars.
It is known for only a single Umayyad reform-style Dirham, although it is likely that additional dates will be discovered.
31+ temp. al-Walid, Silver Dirham, al-Niq 89h, 2.90g (Klat 649, 5 refs). Extremely fine and very
rare. £10,000-12,000
This is another enigmatic Umayyad mint name. The only known date for “al-Niq”, 89h, identifies it as one of the northern
campaign mints and its Arabic spelling almost certainly conceals its real name. In his Checklist Album plausibly suggests that it
may well be the district of Alvank - Albania in the Caucasus, and obviously not the modern Albania in south-eastern Europe.

32 temp. al-Walid (86-96h), Silver Dirham, Risha (= Ras al-‘Ay

n) 90h, 2.65g (Klat 392, 2 refs). Good very
fine and extremely rare
£15,000-20,000
a a aes her originally read as “Ralsa”, which was an unsatis
factory reading for an enigmatic mint name. Coins from
, located on the greater Khabur River in the Diyar Rabia
This town was known
district of al-Jazira, have recently been reattributed to Risha.
Be athcteane in classical
n in classi : = Sole. las F :
times as Resaina, while in Syriac it was Resh Ayna, and in Arabic Ras al-‘Ayn - literally
30 temp. al-Walid, Silver Dirham, Harran 91h, 2.79g (date for mint unrecorded by Klat). Very fine and
extremely rare. £15,000-20,000
Harran was located in the Diyar Mudar district of al-Jazira, traditionally known to have been the birthplace of the Prophet
Ibrahim (Abraham). Umayyad Dirhams from this mint are notably rare and this date is previously unknown. Harran is best
known for its Dirhams of 87h and 89h, which were probably used to pay the troops in the northern campaign.

34 temp. al-Walid, Silver Dirham, Dard 93h, 2.66g (Klat 303, 3 refs). Very fine and very rare. £5,000-6,000

It has been commonly thought that Dard is merely an abbreviation of the mint name Darabjird, but it is more likely that it was
a separate but as yet unidentified location. A coin of this mint has also been recorded from the year 79h.
ahs) temp. al-Walid, Silver Dirham, al-Jazira 95h, 2.89g (Klat 220, 5 refs). Extremely fine and very
rare. £5,000-6,000
al-Jazira is the provincial name usually considered to be the town of Jazirat ibn ‘Umar in the Diyar Rabia district.

36 temp. al-Walid/Sulayman, Silver Dirham, Bizam

Very fine and extremely rare. q ubadh 96h, 2.65¢ g (date
(date ffor mint
i unrecorded by Klat).
£6,000-8,000
i is the latest recorded date for the mint of Bizamq
ubadh.
=izamqu
4 badh was apparently the original
igi name of the town of Arrijan,
ij the princip
inci al town of the third khurra in the province
OF, temp. Sulayman (96-99h), Silver Dirham, Khusraw Shadh Hurmuz 97h, 2.83g (Klat 284, 8 refs). Very
fine and very rare. £8,000-10,000
This mint is only known for 97h. It was a district to the east of the Tigris River and it is one of those sporadic Iraqi mints for
which there is no explanation.

38 temp. Sulayman, Silver Dirham, Maysan 97h, 2.85g (Klat 635, 5 refs). Good very fine and
rare. £5,000-6,000
Maysan was another subdistrict located in southern Iraq near al-Basra. See also Dasht-i Maysan for an adjoining subdistrict
where coins were also struck.

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oh) temp. ‘Umar II b. ‘Abd al-’ Aziz (99-101h), Silver Dirham, Ifrigiya 100h, 3.21g (date for mint unrecorded
by Klat). Mounted and gilt, about extremely fine and very rare £8,000-10,000

This handsome coin fills in a gap in the important Dirham series from the mint of Ifrigiya. It was clearly a valued object because
of its gilding and careful preservation.
40 temp. ‘Umar II, Silver Dirham, al-Sus 100h, unrecorded
rectangular countermark on Dirham of al-
Taymara (?) 90h, downward on left amr Allah, at base
bi'l-wafa, upwards on right wa ‘adil, at top bi’l Sus/
sana/mi‘a, 2.32¢. Countermark extremely fine and very rare, the coin ex-mount,
about fine. £10,000-12,000
al-Sus, the ancient Susa, is a well known
Umayyad mint for the years 79h to 97h, when
have been countermarked the coinage record ends. This coin must
in response to a local need for Dirha ms that
been closed for several years. This is the were valid locally at a time when the regular mint had
only occasion known when such a practice has
been observed.
41 temp. ‘Umar II/Yazid II, Silver Dirham, Sijistan 101h, 2.84¢ (Klat 493, 3 refs). Good very fine and very
rare. £6,000-8,000

Sijistan is the name of the great province of south-western Afghanistan where its coinage was probably struck in the capital
town Zaranj.

42 temp. Hisham (105-125h), Silver Dirham, Ifriqiya 107h, 2.85g (Klat 94, 2 refs). Very fine and very
rare. £8,000-10,000

This is yet another rare Dirham from the mint of Ifriqiya.

43 temp. Hisham, Silver Dirham, al-Bab 117h, 2.79g (Klat 144, 2 refs). About extremely fine and very
rare. £5,000-6,000
al-Bab, meaning “the gate”, today’s Derbend, was located at one of the pinch-points for trade between the Caucasus and the
north into the lands south of the mountains. Presumably traders wishing to do business in the Dar al-Islam would have their
metal struck into coin at this mint so that it could be used wherever they travelled.

44 temp. Marwan II (127-132h), Silver Dirham, Sijistan 128h, 2.62g (Klat 446, 1 ref). Very fine and extremely
rare. £8,000-10,000
Despite the growing Abbasid revolution in the eastern Islamic lands, it appears from this coin and the next that Sijistan remained
loyal to the Umayyad house.

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45 Be
e hecdee HL, Silver Dirham, Sijistan 129h, 2.90g
(Klat 447 but annulets as 446). Good very fine and
£6,000-8,000
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46 temp. Marwan II, Silver Dirham, Dimashq 130h, 2.46g (Klat 474, 3 refs). Very fine and very
rare. £8,000-10,000
When Marwan II moved his seat of government northwards to his old gubernatorial territories in the Jazira the mint of Damascus
lost much of its importance and its coinage becomes much rarer than before. 130h is the rarest date in the entire Damascus
series, and 132h, the next coin, struck in the last year of the Umayyad caliphate is also rarely encountered.

47 temp. Marwan II, Silver Dirham, Dimashq 132h, 2.83g (Klat 376a, 5 refs). Very fine and very
rare. £4,000-5,000
ABBASID REVOLUTION

48 temp. ‘Abd Allah b. Mu’awiya (127-129h), Silver Dirham, Darabjird 129h, 2.76g (Klat 302, 2 refs).
Cleaned, about very fine and very rare. £5,000-6,000
The history of the various revolutionary movements at the end of the Umayyad period is confusing. The goal of the Shi’a
revolutions of ‘Abd Allah bin Mu’awiya and the Abbasids was apparently the replacement of the Umayyad caliphate with a
caliphate of the Prophet's kin, in which the caliph would be endowed with both religious and temporal functions. The Shi’a
insisted that only a Muslim who had kinship with the Prophet was entitled to this office, although the exact nature of this kinship
varied with the whims of demagogues and the fickleness of the populace. For ‘Abd Allah bin Mu’awiya and his followers it
meant being descended from the Prophet's paternal uncle Abu Talib, while for the Abbasids it meant being descended from
another paternal uncle, al-‘Abbas. To add to the difficulty in identifying their coins, ‘Abd Allah and his son al-Hasan used the
slogan “love for (the Prophet's) kin”, and the ‘Abbasid partisans later placed the same words on their own coinage.

49 temp. ‘Abd Allah b. Mu’awiya, Silver Dirham,

Jayy 130h, 2.91g (Klat 271, 4 refs). Cleaned, extre
fine and very rare. mely
£4,000-5,000
ABBASID

ABBASID GOLD DINARS

50+ temp. al-Saffah (132-137h), Gold Dinar, without mint name 132h, 4.24g (Bernardi 51). Scratched in the
obverse field, spade mark in the reverse field, otherwise very fine and very rare. £8,000-10,000
The Abbasid revolution was displayed in the coinage by substituting the words of Qur’an surah 112 with the second phrase of
the kalima, Muhammad rasul Allah in the reverse field on both their Dinars and Dirhams. In this way the Abbasids emphasised
their kinship with the messenger of God, Muhammad.
51 + temp. al-Saffah, Gold Dinar, without mint name 132h, 4.21g (Bernardi 51). Extremely fine and
rare. £10,000-12,000
There are two distinct styles of calligraphy in the dies that struck the Dinar coinage of al-Saffah. The first (see previous lot)
is somewhat cruder and less refined than the second. This coin, with its elegance and precision, may have originated at the
caliphal court, while the other may have served the needs of rich merchants and the military.

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52+ Harun al-Rashid (170-193h), Gold Dinar, without

mint name 171h, rev field: Muhammad rasul Allah/
He mee bihi ‘Abd Allah/Harun Amir al-Mu
'minin, 3.08¢ (Bernardi 58b; Album 218.1). Clippe
ae
S nor ae y found, some scratches in
; lower reverse field,
.
d
5
but extremely fine : i ay
and rare, ee Es

When
ee the Caliph Haru
i n al-Rashid seized power from hisi brother al-Ha
his Dirhams and Dinars by including his calip di biin 170h, he made the chan e abundantly cl
hal name, Harun, prominently in the reverse
icone pray an
53 al-Ma’mun (104-218h)/Tahir, Gold Dinar, no mint name 198h, rev inner margin: mimma amira bihi ‘Abd
Allah ‘Abd Allah amir al-mu'minin (“among those things ordered by the servant of God ‘Abd Allah
(al-Ma’mun), Commander of the Faithful”), field fourth line: Tahir, 4.18g (Bernardi 87, 4 refs; Album
222.61). Slightly clipped, good very fine and rare. £6,000-8,000
Tahir bin al-Husayn was the general in command of the caliphal troops which invested Madinat al-Salam in the closing year
of al-Amin’s reign. This coin was presumably struck in the city’s mint after the defeat or death of al-Amin in 198h. It should
be noted that Tahir does not give al-Ma’mun his caliphal name, but only his personal name, ‘Abd Allah, in the inner marginal
legend on the reverse of this Dinar. Tahir was the founder of the Tahirid dynasty of semi-independent governors of Central Asia
and this coin provides evidence of his lukewarm loyalty to the Abbasid dynasty.

54 al-Mu’tasim (218-227h), Gold Dinar, Dimashq 225h, 4.08g (Bernardi 151 Ge, 3 refs). Very fine and
rare. £2,500-3,000
The reign of al-Mu’tasim introduced the use of standard legends on both the gold and silver coinage, the only difference being
the name of the denomination - Dinar or Dirham. Also, as in this case, all Dinars bore mint names.
215) al-Mutawakkil (232-247h), Gold Donative Dinar, Surra man ra’a 239h, 4.29g (Bernardi 157 Je, but
unrecorded date for type). Crimped, good very fine and very rare. £4,000-5,000
It is recorded that the Caliph al-Mu’tasim left Baghdad in 220h in search of a site for a new capital which would be free from the
factional divisions that had plagued the city. He decided on Samarra, which he gave the official name of Surra man ra’a (“he who
sees it is delighted”). Al-Wathiq continued to use it as his residence and, with the reign of al-Mutawakkil, the city was enlarged
and embellished. It was under al-Mutawakkil that the first special donative coinages were introduced, and they played a role
in the enhanced prosperity of Surra man ra’a. This coin is one of a series struck on broad ceremonial-sized flans which would
have been distributed to the caliph’s favourites, or perhaps sold to richer members of the public for use as ornaments.

56+ al-Mutawakkil, Gold Dinar, Arminiya 246h, 4.21 g (Bernardi 158

Kb, 2 refs). Some scratches in the fields,
otherwise very fine and very rare.
£8,000-10,000
eye was the name of the province of Armenia
in which this coin was struck. A Dinar of al-Mutawakkil of the same
a so recorded from Dabil, ththe capital of Armenia. type is
Under these ci rcumstances the town in which this coin
determined. InNany case, it is very rare. Bernardi was struck cannot be
records one example from 243h, two from 246h and one
from 247h.
5/ al-Muntasir (247-248h), Gold Dinar, al-Kufa 248h, 4.20g (not listed in Bernardi). Light scratches in
obverse field, otherwise extremely fine and completely unpublished. £70,000-80,000
Coinage of al-Muntasir is among the rarest in the Abbasid series. He joined in the conspiracy to murder his father, al-Mutawakkil,
and succeeded to the throne at the end of the year 247h, when he was twenty-five years old, but reigned for only six months
before dying a natural death. His coinage is known from the mint of Surra man ra‘a (Samarra). Several years ago a coin was
also recorded from Madinat al-Salam, and now this piece, a Dinar from al-Kufa, becomes the third mint for this ephemeral
caliph. The three coins make good numismatic sense, as they are all clustered in the centre of the Abbasid territories. It is also
a
recorded that al-Muntasir was favourably inclined towards the Shi’a, which may explain this coin from the mint of Kufa,
centre of Shi’a devotion.
58 + al-Muhtadi (255-256h), Gold Dinar, San‘a’ 256h, 2.80g (Bernardi 167 El, 5 refs). Good very fine and very
rare. £6,000-8,000
The coins of al-Muhtadi are, after those of al-Muntasir, the rarest in the Abbasid series. He came to the throne after the murder
of his predecessor al-Mu’tazz and was himself murdered the following year. The coinage of San/a’ at this time was struck to
the weight standard of the Abbasid Dirham, c.2.9g. It thus constituted its own monetary system in the Yemen in the 3 Century
of the Hijra.

og al-Mu’tamid (256-279h), Gold Dinar, Fars 27 hy

Good very fine and very rare. 8 (Bernardi does not record this mint for al-Mu’tamid).
AL DAL B di 1 4 be , .

£5,000-6,000
In 273h. the mint of Fars initiall y struck
coinage in the name of the Saffarid ‘Amr bin al-Layth
Caliph al-Mu’tamid, al-Nasir li-din Allah and and sub i
Ahmad bin al-Muwaffaq billah. re a? ee eer
60 al-Mu’tamid, Gold Dinar, Wasit 274h, 3.76g (Bernardi 184 Jm, 1 ref). Good very fine and very
rare. £4,000-5,000
Although Dirhams from the mint of Wasit during this reign are well known, Dinars are exceptionally rare.

61 al-Mu’tamid, Gold Dinar, Hamadhan 277h, 4.28¢ (Bernardi does not record this mint for this type).
Good very fine, small edge weakness, very rare. £4,000-5,000
Ahmad
This is a pure Abbasid coin from Hamadhan struck during the period when the town was ruled by the Dulafid princes
and later ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz.
62 al-Mu’tadid (279-289h), Gold Dinar, Surra man ra’a 279h, 4.13g (Bernardi does not record a Dinar
from this mint for al-Mu’tadid). Extremely fine and very rare. £8,000-10,000
The Caliph al-Mu’tadid returned the capital from Surra man ra’a to Madinat al-Salam in 279h. This would appear to be the last
Dinar struck while it was still the caliphal residence.

63+ al-Mu’tadid, Gold Medallion Dinar, Barda’a

286h, 4.13g (Bernardi does not record a Dinar
mint for al-Mu’tadid). Extremely fine and very rare. from this
£25,000-30,000
This remar
‘mar:kable and very beautiful coin was struc
campaign in the region. Its broad flan :k in
i the Azeri i cityCi of Barda’
ile al- Mu’tadid was on military
and espe cially elegant legends 7 make
kot it clear
members of the caliph’s court and army. Gee that
s iteee
was intended for presentation to
64 al-Mu’tadid, Gold Dinar, Wasit 287h, 2.12g (Bernardi does not record a Dinar from this mint for al-
Mu’ tadid). Good very fine and very rare. £5,000-6,000
As in the reign of al-Mu’tamid, Dirhams continued to be struck at the mint of Wasit in that of al-Mu’tadid, but Dinars are rarely
encountered.

65 al-Muktafi (289-295h), Gold Dinar, Ras al-’Ayn 289h, 3.94g (Bernardi 226 HI, 1 ref). Extremely fine and
very rare. £6,000-8,000

66 al-Muktafi, Gold Dinar, Wasit 291h, 4.00g (Bernardi 228 Jm, 2 refs). About extremely fine and very
rare. £3,000-4,000
67 al-Muktafi, Gold Dinar, Amid 292h, 4.26g (Bernardi 226 Ha, 1 ref). Extremely fine and very
rare. £5,000-6,000

Amid, today’s city of Diyarbakir in south-eastern Turkey, was taken from the Byzantines in 286h. While its silver coinage is rare,
the gold coinage is known for only two years, 292h and 293h.

68 al-Muktafi, Gold Dinar, Mah al-Kufa 293h, 4.62g (Bernardi 226 Mr, 2 refs). About extremely fine and very
rare. £4,000-5,000

69 1- : : ;
a a Gold Dinar, Wasit 293h, 4.03g (Bernardi 226 Jmi, “ref).
Extremely fine and very
£4,000-5,000
70 al-Muqtadir (295-320h), Gold Dinar, Antakiya 299h, without name of heir, 4.16g (unrecorded see
Bernardi 242 Ga). Extremely fine and extremely rare. £12,000-15,000
It is difficult to explain the existence of this coin because it lacks the name of the caliph’s heir, Abu’l-’Abbas in the obverse field.
It was customary to include the heir’s name on virtually all coinage under caliphal control after the year 297h. As will be seen
the name of Abu’l-‘Abbas is included in the legends of all coins from this mint from 301h onwards.

71+ al-Mugqtadir, Gold Dinar, al-Rahba 302h, 3.71g (Bernardi does not record a Dinar from this mint for
al-Muqtadir). Good extremely fine and extremely rare. £12,000-15,000
al-Rahba was a town in Syria to the west of Qarqisiya on a canal which paralleled the Euphrates River. It only appears
occasionally in the coinage record.
72 al-Muqtadir, Gold Dinar, Halab 304h, 3.54g (Bernardi 242 Gb, 1 ref). Good very fine and very
rare. £4,000-5,000
Bernardi records Dinars struck at the mint of Halab (Aleppo) in the years 297h, 298h, 304h and 311h.

73 : : F
T eb oe Gold Dinar, Antakiyé a 305h, 3.83g (Bernardi 242 Ga, 1 ref). Extremely fine
and extremely
|
£12,000-15,000
Bernardi records Dinars struck at the mint of Antakiya
in the years 301h, 304h, 305h, 306h, and 308h.
 oo

pre aia | =
.

es <
4 a

74 al-Muqtadir, Gold Dinar, al-Masisa 305h, 3.11g (Bernardi 242 Fd, but unrecorded date). Good very fine
and extremely rare. £10,000-12,000
al-Masisa was located south of the Taurus Mountains on the frontier between the Byzantine Empire and the Abbasid Caliphate.
Bernardi records Dinars from this mint dated 296h and 299h.

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75 + al-Mugqtadir, Gold Dinar, Tabariya 308h, 4.40g (Bernardi does not record a Dinar from this mint for
al-Mugtadir). Extremely fine and extremely rare. £12,000-15,000
Tabariya/Tiberius, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in Palestine, was a provincial capital under the Umayyads and later a
mint town used by the Abbasids, Ikhshidids, Fatimids and the Qaramita. Bernardi records Dinars from this mint dated 311h,
314h and 319h.
76 al-Mugqtadir, Gold Dinar, Isbahan 309h, 3.05g (Bernardi does not record this date for this mint). Good
very fine and very rare. £10,000-12,000
Isbahan (Isfahan) is an extremely rare Abbasid gold mint. Bernardi recorded a single example for al-Muqtadir dated 298h.

TL. al-Muqtadir, Gold Dinar, Nisibin 311h, 4.49 hee

extremely fine and very rare. a Bernardi d oes not t record thisi date for this mint). About
£6,000-8,000
Bernardi recorded a single example of a Dinar struck in Nisibin
(Nusaybin) for al-Mugtadir dated 313h.
Thee ay al-Muqtadir, Gold Dinar, Barda’a 315 h, 3.92g (Bernardi 242 Kf, 4 refs). A little edge weakness, otherwise
good very fine and very rare. £12,000-15,000
Barda’a was at this time the principal town of Azerbaijan. Bernardi records four examples dated 315h, four of 318h and six of
319h. The other coins from Azerbaijan were from the mints of Ardabil, Arminiya, Adharbayjan, Urmiya and Maragha.

79 al-Mugtadir, Gold Dinar, ‘Aththar 317h, 2.56g (Bernardi does not record this date for this mint). Very
fine and very rare. £8,000-10,000

‘Aththar was a port in the Asir region of today’s Saudi Arabia. It was often under the rule of Sunni emirs who displayed their
allegiance to the Abbasid caliphate in their coinage. Bernardi recorded a single example of a Dinar of this type dated 314h.

80+ al-Mugqtadir, Gold Dinar, ‘Aththar 319h, 2.76g (Bernardi 249 Eo, 1 ref). Extremely fine and very
rare. £10,000-12,000
 (Album
81+ Amirs of the Asir in the name al-Muti’ lillah (334-363h), Gold Dinar, Baysh 339h, 2.72g
fine and
Sylloge of Islamic Coins in the Ashmolean 10, no.18, 1 example of this date) Good very
rare. £6,000-8,000

The pale gold for this coinage was probably alluvial in origin, washed down from the mountains of the Asir.

82+ Amirs of ‘Aththar in the name of al-Ta’‘i’ lillah (363-381h), Gold Dinar, ‘Aththar 371h, 2.79g. Good
very fine and extremely rare. £10,000-12,000
This appears to be an unrecorded Dinar omitting the name of a local amir and giving that of only the Caliph al-Ta‘i’. It may
have been struck during a local interregnum.

83 Abbasid, al-Mustazhir (487-512h), Gold Dinar, Madinat al-Salam 493h, 2.14g

(Jafar Saljug Baghdad
A MSS. 493). Extremely fine and very rare.
£2,500-3,000
Ss is a purely Abbasid coin struck during the period when the caliphs had
to recognise the temporal overlordship of the Great
st sultans. In the year 493h, during the contest between the rival Great
Saljug claimants, Barkiyarug and Muhammad, the
caliph struck coins in the names of both these men, but when the confusion
became too great he issued them only in his own
name and that of his heir, abu-Mansur. The superb quality of this Dinar
shows that peculiar care was taken in its striking.
 7”
P + i

» ge ee re

84 + al-Musta’sim (640-656h), Gold Dinar, Madinat al-Salam 656h, 8.37g. Unevenly struck but with a clear
date, extremely fine and extremely rare. £30,000-35,000
This is a very rare example of the last Abbasid coinage struck in Madinat al-Salam. As the Mongol army made its way through
Iran and advanced on Baghdad Abbasid defences crumbled. The Mongol ruler, Hulagu, laid siege to Baghdad and the Abbasids
were forced to surrender the city on 4" Safar 656h / 10" February 1258 CE. Baghdad was then sacked by Hulagu’s troops, and
ten days after its capture Hulagu issued the order that the caliph al-Musta’sim was to be executed. The execution was carried
out by having him wrapped up ina rug and trampled to death by elephants, presumably so as to abide by the Mongol tradition
of avoiding spilling royal blood. The murder of al-Musta’sim lowered the curtain forever on Abbasid rule in Iraq after nearly
five and a half centuries.

ABBASID SILVER

85 temp. al-Saffah (132-137h), Silver Dirham, Dimashq 132h, 2.83g (Klat 376b; Lowick Abbasid 587).
Cleaned, extremely fine and very rare. £4,000-5,000
This is an example of the first Abbasid coinage struck in Damascus. ‘Abd Allah bin ‘Ali al-Sajad, who was the uncle of both
al-Saffah and his brother and successor, al-Mansur, had commanded the Abbasid forces at the battle of the Greater Zab where
the last Umayyad ruler, Marwan II, was defeated. He then raced westwards to take control of Syria and Palestine, and in the
process exterminated any male members of the Umayyad family who were unfortunate enough to fall into his hands. In the
end only one Umayyad prince, ‘Abd al-Rahman, the grandson of Hisham bin ‘Abd al-Malik, escaped to re-establish his dynasty
in Spain. ‘Abd Allah served as governor of Syria until the death of al-Saffah in 136h / 754 CE when he made an unsuccessful
attempt to seize the caliphate for himself. From the evidence of the rare Dirhams he issued in Damascus, it 1s clear that he took
over the Umayyad mint intact and, apart from replacing “The Unity” with the second statement of the kalima, preserved its
traditional style of Kufic script.
 FROM THE MINT OF AL- YAMAMA
A ComPLETE DaTE RUN OF THE DIRHAMS

86+ Abbasid Silver Dirhams (6), al-Yamama, temp. al-Mahdi, 165h, 2.90g (Lowick 571), 166h, 2.96¢ ves
;
573), 167h, 2.85g (Lowick 578h), 168h, 2.54g (Lowick 579; temp. al-Mahdi/al-Hadi, 169h, 2.52¢ ses
169h); temp. al-Hadi, 170h, 2.81g (Lowick 586). Very fine or better. (6) £12 000-15,
The earliest mint place to be established in the Arabian peninsula was al-Yamama, the district ae ie reas oe,
capital, al-Riyadh. The first coin was dated 165h and bears the name ofits principal town Hajar in ; PBate ie es ae -
also struck by al-Mahdi, bears the name ‘Abd Allah bin Sa’id, and the third, the latest dated issue of 1 i eae no Rupee
name of the ephemeral caliph al-Hadi. After this date the mint of al-Yamama is believed to have cease es oe Ags hak de
for this is unclear. A Dirham mint may have been opened there in order to extract taxes from the owners of the rich date g
which grew in the oases of the region.

87+ al-Radi (322-329h), Silver Medallion Dirham, Madinat al-Salam 325h, 14.45g. Extremely
fine and very
rare.
£100,000-120,000
This magnificent coin is unusual in several respects. It mixes legends normally found on the reverse with the abbreviated
kalima usually found on the obverse, and includes
a b eautiful floral device. This was probably taken from the plasterwork
designs used in decorating the rooms of the caliphal pa
laces in Madinat al-Salam and
Surra man ra’a (Samarra). It is one of the
masterpieces of all Islamic numismatics.
GOLD AND SILVER CoINs STRUCK IN THE Hoty City of MAKKA

The earliest known Islamic coin from the mint of Makka was struck in 201h, during the reign of al-Ma’mun
bearing the name of his vizier al-Fadl bin Sahl Dhu’l-Riyasatayn. A second Dirham is known from the year
203h. The coinage record resumes with a gold Dinar of al-Wathiq dated 227h, and from then on it appears
that the Makka mint operated sporadically over the years. Its Dinars and Dirhams have become very popular
among collectors of Islamic coins, and the group offered here is the largest selection ever to have appeared at
auction.

ABBASID

88 + al-Wathiq (227-232h), Gold Dinar, Makka 227h, 3.76g (unrecorded by either Bernardi or Album, the
earliest dinar from this mint). Crudely struck with edge crack, otherwise good fine and extremely rare.
£20,000-25,000

89 al-Mutawakkil (232-247h), Gold Dinar, Makka 234h, 4.12g (Bernardi 155 Ef, 2 refs). Very fine and very
rare. £20,000-25,000
 of date, 5.12,
90+ al-Mutawakkil, Silver Dirham Error, Makka 268 (for 238h), error in writing decade
an exceptionally heavy Dirham for this mint (unrecorded date for mint). Good very fine and extremely
rare. £6,000-8,000

PPG
. pif Ps 2 $
tl A daa gy AR

91 al-Musta’in (248-251h), Gold Dinar, Makka 248h, 3.99g (Bernardi 160 Ef, 2 refs). Extremely fine and very
rare. £50,000-60,000

92 if :
he 4in, Gold Dinar, Makka 249h, 4.14g (Bernardi 161 Ef, 1 ref). Weakly struck,
very fine and very
£40,000-50,000
 q
a ee eea
rT es

93+ al-Mu’tazz (252-255h), Gold Dinar, Makka 252h, 4.11g, the gold for the famous Dinar of the
caliph al-Mu’tazz dated 252h, which so eloquently symbolises the importance of this sacred spot,
came from the covering of the Makam Ibrahim. (Bernardi 162 Ef, 2 refs). Very fine and extremely
rare. £120,000-150,000

In 160h / 777 CE the Makam Ibrahim, the stone behind which the Prophet Muhammad prayed when he performed the
circumambulation of the Holy Ka’ba, and which bears the footprints of the Prophet Ibrahim impressed into its surface at the
time that he was building the Holy House, was brought to the abode of al-Mahdi in Makka when he performed the pilgrimage.
In the next year, when the Makam was raised carelessly by one of its keepers, it fell down and cracked; it was repaired on the
order of al-Mahdi and its upper and lower parts were braced with gold. Al-Mutawakkil in 241h / 655-656 CE improved the
pedestal of the Makam, embellished the Makam itself with gold and ordered the building of a cupola over the makam (cf al-Sinjari,
Mana’ih al-karam bi-akhbar Makka wa‘l Haram, ms. Leiden fol. 120b). In 252h / 866 CE the Makam was stripped of its gold by
the Governor of Makka Ja‘far bin al-Fadl; the gold was then melted down for minting Dinars, which he spent in the struggle
against the rebel Isma’il bin Yusuf bin Ibrahim (see al-Sinjari op.cit. fols. 120a ult. - 120b; for Isma’‘il bin Yusuf see al-Fasi, al-‘Tkd
al-thamin, ed. Fu’ad Sayyid, Cairo 1383/1963, iii, 311, no 383). A thorough restoration of the Makam was carried out in 256h /
870 CE by the Governor ‘Ali bin al-Hasan al-Hashimi (see al-Fasi op. cit. vi, 151, no. 2050).
The gold for the famous Dinar of the caliph al-Mu’tazz dated 252h, which so eloquently symbolises the importance of this
sacred spot, came from the covering of the Makam Ibrahim.
(The information for this note is based on the Encylopaedia of Islam, 2"* edition).
94 al-Mu’tazz, Silver Dirham, Makka 252h, legends as on the Dinar above, save for the denomination
Dirham rather than Dinar, 2.98¢ (unrecorded date for mint). Very fine and extremely rare. £7,000-8,000

ig
a : Ps a.
(At catalan Os ent

© oe
= it oe
OO TRBi Rat,

aN al-Mu ‘tadid (279-28 F :

Fe 9h), Gold Dinar, Makka 282h, 3.99g (Bernardi 211 Ef, 1 ref). Extremely fine and very
£35,000-40,000
96+ al-Mu’tadid, Gold Dinar, Makka 283h, 4.12g (Bernardi 211 Ef, 1 ref). Good extremely fine and very
rare.
£35,000-40,000
97+ al-Muktafi (289-295h), Gold Dinar, Makka 291h, 3.86g (Bernardi 216 Ef, 1 ref). About extremely fine and
very rare. £25,000-30,000

98 al-Muktafi, Gold Dinar, Makka 292h, 2.59g (Bernardi 226 Ef, 3 refs)
rare. . Good very fine and very
£25,000-30,000
99 + al-Muktafi, Silver Dirham, Makka 292h, 2.59¢. Good very fine and rare. £4 ,000-5,000

100 * al-Muktafi, Silver Dirham, Makka 294h, 2.88¢. Good very fine. £4,000-5,000

101+ al-Mugtadir (295-320h), Silver Dirham, Makka 297h, 3.10g. About very fine and very rare. — £4,000-5,000

102+ al-Mugtadir, Silver Dirham, Makka 312h, 2.96g. Good very fine and very rare. £8,000-10,000
IKHSHIDID

i
103 Abu’l-Misk Kafur (355-357h), Gold Dinar, Makka 357h, rev field: amira bihi al-Ustadh Kafur al-Ikhshid
Qa’im (“among those things ordered by the master Kafur al-Ikhshidi, valid), 2.78g (Album 680.2;
Bacharach Islamic History Through Coins no.211, MAG 357a, commentary on p.74, fig.3.8). Pierced,
extremely fine and extremely rare. £250,000-350,000

Abu’l-Misk Kafur was bought as a slave from Nubia, where he had been prepared for sale to live his life as a eunuch. He
an
was acquired by the founder of the Ikhshidid dynasty, Muhammad ibn Tughj, who quickly realised that he had made
exceptionally fortunate purchase in finding such an intelligent, well-balanced and diligent addition to his court. Kafur soon
became Ibn Tughj’s right-hand man in the administration of the state, the army and in family affairs. After his master’s death
in 334h, Kafur secured recognition of his son Abu’l-Qasim Unujur’s investiture by the Abbasid Caliph al-Muti’ the following
year and that of his brother Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali in 349h. Throughout their childhood he had supervised their education, and he
continued in both their governorships to exercise full and untrammelled control of the Ikhshidid state in Egypt and Syria.
Upon the death of ‘Ali, who left a young son, Abu’l-Fawaris Ahmad, to become titular leader of the state, Kafur applied for, and
received, a patent of investiture from the Caliph for himself, which appears to have included the right of sikka (having coins
struck in his name). After Kafur’s death on 21 Jumada I 357h, Egypt was invaded by the Fatimid forces of al-Mu’izz, and the
Ikhshidid state, whose centre had moved to Palestine, was extinguished in 359h. This coin is the only one known on which
Kafur is named as ruler in his own right rather than modestly hiding his power behind the single letter of his name kaf.

This coin is nominally Abbasid because it acknowledges the spiritual overlordship of the Caliph al-Muti’ lillah. However, it
simultaneously distances itself from the caliphate by choosing a Qur’anic legend, Surah 17 verses 81-82, which was introduced
by the Rassid Imam of the Yemen al-Hadi ila’l-Haqq Yahya on a coin of San‘a’ of 288h for its reverse margin: “Truth has come
and falsehood has vanished, verily falsehood is a vanishing thing; we send down of the Qu’an that which is a healing and a
mercy unto the true believers”. The use of this verse rapidly spread to the coinages of the emirates in the Asir and Tihama, and
when the governor of the Yemen chose to issue coins he did not use the standard design and legends of the Ikhshidid Dinars in
Egypt and Palestine, but those of the Red Sea littoral.

The Holy City of Makka was, at the time of Kafur’s death, under the control of forces loyal to him, but it was quickly taken over
first by the Qaramita and then by the Fatimids. This coin provides important confirmation of Ikhshidid control of the Hijaz
and of Kafur’s full name and title al-Ustadh Kafur al-Ikhshidi. When the Fatimids conquered the Holy City they renounced the
use of the Red Sea coinage type and replaced it with the style and legends found elsewhere on their own Dinars (see lot 105).

This Dinar is described by Stephen Album in his Checklist as “one of the classic rarities of Islamic gold coinage” (Album 680.2).
This piece is one of only two known examples still in private hands, the other remaining with the owner of this piece. There are
a further three examples known, all of which are in the National Collection in Doha.

Reverse Legend:
FATIMID

104+ al-Mu’izz (341-365h), Gold Dinar, Bakka (= Makka) 363h, 2.78g (Nicol Fatimids 385, 1 ref). Crude, about
extremely fine and extremely rare. £60,000-80,000
This coin and the next provide evidence of the Fatimid struggle against the Qaramita invaders of Syria and Palestine. Fatimid
Dinars from Makka are confirmed in the name of al-Mu’izz in 363h, 364h and 365h, and in that of al-’Aziz only in 366h. Clearly
this can be regarded as an effort by the Fatimids to safeguard the Holy City from a conquest by the heretical Qaramita.

105 + — al-’Aziz (365-386h), Gold Dinar, Makka

and extremely rave. 366h, 3.67 g (Nicol 745, 1 ref). Weakly struck, about extremely fine
£60,000-80,000
106 al-Mustansir (427-487h), Gold Dinar, Madinat Rasul Allah, month of Dhu’l-Hijja 450h, 3.30g
(unrecorded by Nicol and only the second known example of this mint). About extremely fine and very
rare. £350,000-400,000

It is possible that the Caliph al-Mustansir made the pilgrimage to Makka in the year 450h, as it occurred in the shortest and
coolest month of that year. It is not obviously clear whether the mint name Madinat Rasul Allah refers to the Holy City of
Makka, the Prophet's birthplace, or perhaps to al-Madina al-Munawwara, the Prophet's later home and place of burial. The
in
general assumption is that it refers to Makka al-Mukarrama. One other Dinar from this mint is recorded in Nicol’s Fatimids
years. The
the British Museum collection, no. 2091, dated 453h, but this unique unpublished coin precedes that one by three
cataloguer considers that it was a quasi-donative issue to be distributed to a select group of pilgrims who accompanied the
caliph on his otherwise unrecorded journey.
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

AiWie
ASAAS
Ne
ING
aod
S4

4
y

107 +
cs Bxig
ago:
fie
- PES|
N35 > BSFoGit.
3
c= +
ORS
=
H
Let Ssam
(G8) AS 2<<
, Gold Pattern Guinea or One Riyal, Makka al-Mukarrima 1370h,
6D ca
5 , Pn1, this coin). Proof uncirculated and unique. £120,000-150,000
This is one of the world’ Ss rarest proof pattern coina
ges, known only from this exam ple. However, it is likely that at least two
examples were struck, one of which was sent by the
Royal Mint in London to Saudi Arabia for ro yal approval, but if this is the
case its whereabouts is unknown. It should be not ed that
although the denomination is describ ed as a Guinea, the weight is
exactly that of the gold Sovereign.
SPANISH UMAYYAD

108 + ‘Abd al-Rahman III (350-366h), Gold Dinar, al-Andalus 321h, 4.23g (Miles, The Coinage of the Umayyads
of Spain, vol. II, p.250, no 201(a)). Extremely fine and rare. £3,000-4,000
The latest known Umayyad Dinar minted in al-Andalus was struck in 127h / 744-745 CE, during the reign of Marwan II ibn
Muhammad. From then until 316h / 928 CE no gold was struck in the province, either by the Umayyad governors or their
successors, the Umayyad rulers of Spain. All the silver coins struck there bore the mint name al-Andalus, which is rather
surprising given the large number of Visigothic mints in operation in Spain, and the plentiful Umayyad and Abbasid mints in
the eastern provinces. It was during the reign of ‘Abd al-Rahman III that the minting of silver was resumed and gold coins were
struck for the first time for nearly two hundred years. He succeeded his grandfather, ‘Abd Allah, at the age of twenty-three,
having been chosen as heir presumptive because of his leadership qualities. This was a wise choice, for his half century reign,
from 300h to 350h / 912-961 CE, and that of his successor al-Hakam II, marked the high point of Muslim rule in Spain. ‘Abd al-
Rahman III spent the early part of his reign suppressing local opposition, before turning his attention to the Fatimids of Ifrigiya,
who were extending their acquisition of lands in the Maghrib and, he feared, spreading Shi‘ite propaganda. As a retort to the
pretensions of his Fatimid enemies, ‘Abd al-Rahman III proclaimed himself caliph, and he was the first Spanish Umayyad caliph
to adopt the title Amir al-Mu’minin on (Commander of the Faithful) on his coins, with the caliphal name al-Nasir li-din Allah
(Defender of God's Religion). In the words of the historian Ibn ‘Idhari, “And in this year (316h) al-Nasir (‘Abd al-Rahman III)
ordered the establishment of the mint within the city of Cordova for the striking of Dinars and Dirhams. He appointed to the
office Ahmad ibn Musa...From this date the strikings in the mint were of pure gold and silver. Ahmad ibn Musa was rigorous
in accuracy and care”.

NASRID OF GRANADA

109 + Muhammad IX b. Nasr (851-858h), Gold Dinar, Gharnata undated, 4.69g (Album 412). Extremely fine
and rare. £3,000-4,000
struck by the last
The Nasrids were the builders of the great al-Hamra complex in Granada. This, one of the beautiful coins
rulers in Spain, contains the Nasrid motto la ghalib illa Allah - “No victory without God's (help)”, and on the reverse the
Muslim
This
mint name Gharnata (Granada). Muhammad IX reigned between 821h and 856h, but his rule was interrupted three times.
coin can be attributed to his first period of rule, 821-830h.
AL-MURABITID

Sa hee at
i | + rP

110 + ‘Ali b. Yusuf (500-537h), Gold Dinar, Malaga 501h, 4.93g (Hazard Coinage of North Africa 260). Good
very fine and very rare. £3,000-4,000

‘Ali bin Yusuf ruled both in Morocco and Spain. This coin from the second year of his reign was struck in Malaga (Malaga). As
this mint was active for only four years, its coins are notably rare. On the reverse is found the title of the Abbasid caliph without
his regnal name, showing that the Murabitids were Sunni in their allegiance.

SA’ADIAN SHARIFS

111 + Be dae cee (usurper 1021-1022h), known on his coinage as Abu’l-/Abbas Ahmad al-Mahdi, Gold
inar, Marrakush 1021h, 4.56g (Album K573). Weakly struck in parts, otherwise about extremely fine and
very usrare.
£5,000-6,000
aN
cnt fyieg Pe
ete ; preeines a ae the Prophet Muhammad’s uncle al-’Abbas. He devoted his life to Allah, named himself
Se tee ok ase oly war to end the rule of the Sa’adian Sharifs. Abu’l Mahalli led his followers to confront
ehapaeh: ies the
a ches pea He took on all the trappings of royalty, won great popularity and
took advantage of
Can é co ike beautiful coins with elegant Maghribi ornamentation in his own name. However,
having assured his
's divine power, he was killed in battle by a single shot, and Marrakesh
returned to Sa‘adian rule. q
FATIMID

112 al-Mahdi (297-322h), Gold Dinar, al-Muhammadiya 320h, 4.06g (Nicol 50). Good very fine and
rare. £3,000-4,000
‘Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi, the founder of the Fatimid caliphate, first ruled from Qayrawan in central Tunisia and then moved his
seat to the port fortress of al-Mahdiya on the eastern coast. Late in his reign the mint name al-Muhammadiya appeared on his
coinage which, for lack of an important city in North Africa bearing this name, may be considered to be an epithet concealing
and complementing the site of its actual location.

113 al-Zahir (411-427h), Gold Dinar, Zawila 415h, 4.12g (Nicol only records 414h for this mint). Good very
fine and very rare. £20,000-25,000
Zawila is a market town outside the walls on the landward side of al-Mahdiya. Presumably this mint was established as a
convenience for merchants.
114+ al-Mustansir (427-487h), Gold Dinar, Barqa 448h, 4.16g (Nicol 1701, 2 refs). Good extremely fine and
very rare. £12,000-15,000

When the Zirids completed their revolution in Tunisia by repudiating their allegiance to the Fatimids, the Caliph al-Mustansir
flew into a rage and determined to destroy the Zirids. He sent a band of Bedouin to retake the country. It is likely that this coin,
struck in Barga not far from today’s Benghazi in Libya, was struck to pay the invading army. 448h is the latest date recorded for
this Cyrenaican mint.

115 + al-Mustans
ir, Gold Dinar,
Be caste Aththar 474h, 4.23¢ (unrecorded by Nicol for this ruler). Good very fine and
£10,000-12,000
This previously unrecorded Dinar from the Red Sea
port of ‘Aththar in the Tihama shows the continuation of Fatimid control in
the south-western Arabian peninsula. This is the only
kno wn example of the coinage of al-Mustansir from this mint.
116 +
rare. £6,000-8,000
al-Amir succeeded al-Must‘ali in 495h and struck most of his coinage in Egypt. This rare Dinar comes from the Palestinian
mint
of Asqalan, south of Acre, which for a time was the chief Fatimid port in Palestine before its conquest by the Crusaders.

117 + al-Muntazar (fictive caliph 524-526h), Gold Dinar, al-Iskandariya 525h, 4.67g (Nicol 2589). Good very
fine and very rare. £5,000-6,000
al-Muntazir (the ‘Expected’) was the imaginary son of al-Amir, who died without issue, leaving a pregnant concubine whose
child’s birth was never recorded. This coin demonstrates the extreme importance that the Fatimids placed on direct descendants
of the Isma’ili imams. The fictive baby was named as Tayyib, who lent his name to a branch of Isma’ili Islam.

AYYUBID

118 + al-Nasir Yusuf (567-589h), Gold Dinar, Dimashq 583h, 4.26g (Balog Coinage of the Ayyubids 79; Album
785.3). Good very fine and very rare. £20,000-30,000
Al-Nasir Yusuf Salah al-din (known as Saladin in the west) was an outstanding military leader with a powerful army at his
command. He declared jihad (holy war) against the Crusaders, and in 583h / 1187 CE, with the help of all the allies he could
find, Saladin inflicted a disastrous defeat on them at the Horns of Hattin on the heights to the west of Tiberias. Exhausted and
demoralised, the Christian forces surrendered Acre and much of the coast of Gaza. Finally Saladin achieved the prize he had
set out to win, when he regained the city of al-Quds (Jerusalem) for the Muslims. This is the only gold coin that Saladin struck
in Damascus and the only one on which he bore the additional title Sultan al-Islam wa‘l-Muslimin. This rare coin was probably a
donative issued to pay his victorious troops.
 D DINARS
A COLLECTION OF AYYUBID GOL
1A9 Ayyubid Gold Dinars (65), Ayyubid/Zangid, al-Nasir Yusuf b. Ayyub (567-589h)/Mahmud b. Zangi
(541-569h), al-Qahira 568h, 4.19g; Ayyubid, al-Nasir Yusuf, al-Qahira 572h 3.57g; 573h, 4.61; 578h,
4.879; 579h, 4.90g; 580h, 4.73h; 581h, 3.16¢; 582h, 4.69g; 583h, 5.71g; 584h, 4.38g; 585h, 4.97g; 586h (2),
3.94 and 5.23¢g; 587h, 4.45g; 588h, 4.34¢; 57h?, 5.45g, pierced and plugged; al-Iskandariya 579h, 4.04¢;
580h, 3.68¢; 561h, 3.62g; 582h, 4.82g; 583h (2), 4.87and 4.12g; 586h, 4.95¢; al-’Aziz ‘Uthman (589-595h),
al-Qahira 589h, 4.87g; 590h, 4.52g; 592h, 4.79g; 593h, 4.57g; al-Iskandariya 589h, 4.289; 591h, 4.78¢;
592h, 3.60g; 593h (2), 3.92 and 3.65g; 594h, 4.13g; al-Mansur Muhammad (595-596h), al-Iskandariya
596h, ex-mount; al-‘Adil Abu Bakr I (596-615h), al-Qahira 596h, 4.95g; 597h, 4.47g; 599h, 3.762; 608h,
4.282; 616h, 4.32¢; al-Iskandariya 596h, 4.39g; 598h, 4.50g; 599h, 4.52¢; 600h, 4.782; 602h, 3.83¢; 604h
(2), 4.62 and 4.23g; 609h, 4.96g; 611h, 3.682; 613h, 5.76g (type B); 60h?, 4.86g; al-Kamil Muhammad I
(615-635h), al-Qahira 626h, 4.41¢, double struck; 627h, 5.91g; 628h, 4.99g; 629h, 7.64g; 630h, 3.41g; 631h,
5.15g; 632h, 6.299; 633h, 4.772; 634h, 6.35¢; 635h 6.87¢; al-Iskandariya 618h, 5.58g; al-‘Adil Abu Bakr II
(635-637h), al-Qahira 635h, 5.15g; 636h, 4.36h; al-Salih Ayyub (637-647h), al-Qahira 641h; 4.31h, 646h?,
4.28g. Mostly very fine or better. (65) £25,000-30,000
BaHRI MAMLUK

120 + al-Ashraf Musa (649-650h), Gold Dinar, al-Qahira 649h, 5.08g (Balog Coinage of the Mamluks 3). Good
very fine and very rare. £6,000-8,000
Musa as
All coins in the name of al-Ashraf Musa II were actually struck by the Mamluk ruler Aybak who used the Ayyubid
a formal justification for his own de facto rule, while Musa was really a son of al-Ma’sud Yusuf, the last Ayyubid ruler of the
ruler of
Yemen. The legends on this coin, however, make out that he was a son of al-Salih Ayyub, the last effective Ayyubid
Egypt behind whose authority Aybak manipulated the ephemeral six-year-old puppet ruler, Musa. While this coin is entirely
Ayyubid in its form and legends, it is emphatically one of the first Mamluk issues.

RASULID

121 al-Mansur ‘Umar b. ‘Ali, Gold Dinar, Mina 636h, 6.15¢ (unrecord
ed in gold). About extremely fine and
the only one known.
£80,000-100,000
e the next lot for a note on this coin. It is the only gold Dinar
Se t
. . .

known bearing the name al-Mansur ‘Umar

 Fe

22 al-Mansur ‘Umar b. ‘Ali (626-647h), Silver Dirham, Mina 636h, 2.07g

(see Spink-Ziirich Auction 31,
lot 104). About extremely fine and extremely rare, only the second specimen known.
£6,000-8,000
This extremely rare coin type of al-Mansur ‘Umar is known from two mints - Mina
in 636h and Zabid in 637h. After its
appearance in the catalogue of Spink-Ziirich Auction 31 it excited a good deal of controvers
y over the reading of the mint name.
The coin was read as Mina, but some critics chose to read it as Mabyan on the grounds
that Mina had never been seen before in
the coinage record, while Mabyan is a relatively well known mint for the Rasulids.
The appearance of a gold dinar with identical legends and mint name, but from different dies
to the one in the Zitirich sale
reinforces the attribution to Mina for the following reasons. The Arabic can be read as bi-mim-nun-alif.
This is clearly not the
spelling of Mabyan which has an extra tooth before its terminal nun and there is sufficient space to inscribe
this letter in the
coin legend if it were intended to be there. Also one would expect the terminal nun to be the same as it
is elsewhere on these
coins’ inscriptions. The town of Mina is spelled mim-nun-alif in the Encyclopaedia of Islam and not with a terminal
alif maksura
in southern Arabic, where the upright alif frequently takes the place of the stooping alif.
It has been said that Mina is an uninhabited locality for most of the year, except at the time of the Hajj. The historian al-
Mugqaddasi, however, speaks of fine houses built of teak and stone. Large stone buildings are still to be found in Mina, but these
are usually empty and are only let during the pilgrimage to more wealthy pilgrims. This depopulation of the city has been a
subject of discussion among legists, for some held that this enables Mina and Makka to be regarded as one city, a view which
others reject. In any case, it is altogether likely that al-Mansur ‘Umar, the newly independent Rasulid ruler, issued this gold
Dinar and silver Dirham to be given as special donatives to pilgrims in 636h when he very likely went on the Hajj himself. When
he returned to his seat of government in Zabid in the early months of 637h, a second issue of Dirhams from the mint of Zabid
was struck probably to commemorate his safe return to his realm.

ABRATAST
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{oN a

123 + al-Mu’ayyad Da’ud (696-721h), Gold Dinar, ‘Adan 718h, 4.34g (Album A1105). Extremely fine and very
rare. £6,000-8,000
While practically all the Rasulid coinage was struck in silver, there were occasional, very rare gold issues which copied the
square in circle design introduced by the Muwahhids in North Africa. The principal difference is that, unlike the latter, the
Rasulids included both the mint name and the date in their legends. They may have been used to facilitate trade with India.
QARAMITA OF BAHRAIN

124 + Anonymous, in the name of the Chief Sayyids, al-sadat al-ru’asa, Gold Dinar, Filastin 358h, 3.49
(Album A684). Crimped, good fine and extremely rare. £8,000-10,000
This extremely rare coin was issued by the Qaramita of Bahrain when they attacked the Ikhshidids in Palestine. It was issued
when they temporarily displaced the Ikhshidid Ahmad bin ‘Ali. The Chief Sayyids were obviously the tribal elders who led
the Qaramita.

125 abu-Mansur al-Mu‘izzi (364-367h) (Alptekin), Gold Dinar, Dimashq 365h, 4.36g (Album 686.2).
Extremely fine and extremely rare.
£15,000-20,000
Alptekin al-Mu’izzi was a former Mamluk
Baxcayh. in the service of the Buwayhid ruler of Baghdad, Mu’izz al-dawla abu’l-Husayn
126 + Anonymous, in the name of the Chief Sayyids, al-sadat al-ru’asa, Gold Dinar, Filastin 368h, 4.36¢.
Extremely fine and extremely rare. £12,000-15,000
This Dinar marks the end of the Qaramita occupation of Palestine. After removing their influence from
Makka the Fatimid
forces of the Caliph al-'Aziz defeated the Qaramita in the first days of 368h, which prompted their departure
for Bahrain.
It is interesting to note that the Qaramita, although strong opponents of the Abbasid caliphate, always acknowledge
d their
overlordship on their coinage, perhaps to give themselves legitimacy among the people for whom it was intended.

BuRID

127 + Abaq (534-549h), overlords Great Saljuq Sanjar and Iraq Saljuq Mas’ud together with the Abbasid
Caliph al-Mugqtafi, Gold Dinar, Dimashq 538h, 3.54g (Album A784). Good very fine and very
rare. £12,000-15,000
Damascus was the westernmost extension of Saljuq power. The Burids were an ephemeral dynasty which lasted for no more
than half a century. Surprisingly their coinage, while resembling that of their contemporaries the Fatimids, bore legends that
were purely Sunni, acknowledging the Abbasid Caliph al-Muqtafi and their Great Saljuq overlords Sanjar and Iraq Saljuq
Mas’ud.

Rum SALjuQg

128 + Kaykawus II (first reign 643-647h, second reign 655-658h), Gold Presentation Dinar, without mint
name, undated, 4.20g. Good very fine and extremely rare. £5,000-6,000
The names of the Sultan Kaykawus II appear on the obverse and that of the Abbasid Caliph al-Musta’sim on the reverse of this
Dinar. It is an unpublished piece that is unusual in that it lacks both mint name and date, which suggests that it was intended
for presentation to members of the Sultan’s court. It is uncertain to which of the two reigns of Kaykawus the coin belongs as
al-Musta’sim was on the throne during both.
OTTOMAN

129 Mehmed II bin Murad (1444-1446h and 1451-1481h), Uniface Bronze Portrait Medal, c.1460, attributed
to Pietro da Milano (fl. c.1432-1466), MAGNVS PRINCEPS ET MAGNVS AMIRAS SULTANVS DNS
MEHOMET (Great Prince and Great Amir, Sultan Lord Mehomet), head to left in full profile, wearing
a turban formed by neatly wound layers of cloth, along two folds of the turban are the letters PM, in
the form of a monogram, above the turban is a patterned cap with a feather projecting from the rear,
and rendered twice within the cap is the Arabic phrase /i-Ilah; the bust is three-quarters facing, with a
decorative, fur-collared robe or caftan, beneath which is a thin under-garment, rev plain, small, neat,
suspension hole at the top, 92mm. A beautifully toned and very fine contemporary cast with a reddish-brown
patina, extremely rare. £300,000-400,000

The magnus princeps bronze medal presents the earliest known portrait of Sultan Mehmed II. Made in the decade
following the siege and capture of Constantinople in 1453, the medal is a significant historical document from the
early period of Mehmed’s sultanate and of the greatest rarity.

Prior to the discovery of the magnus princeps, the only reliable knowledge of Mehmed II’s appearance rested
on two portraits produced towards the end of his life: one on a medal executed by Constanzo da Ferrara in
the mid- to late 1470s, which shows the Sultan as corpulent, somewhat wizened and well into middle age;
the
other on a painting by Gentile Bellini, its elderly and now frail image of the Sultan having been taken shortly
before his death in 1481.
Itis for his early conquests, and in particular the great victory at Constantinople and its foundation
as capital
city of the Ottoman Empire, that Mehmed II is today most widely remembered. Achieved at the extraordinar
ily
young age of just twenty-one, it earned him considerable fame and the epithet ‘Mehmed the Conqueror’.
However, no evidence of the Sultan’s physical appearance from this period was thought to have
survived, and the
mystery of how he looked as a young man has been one of the great imponderables
of Ottoman scholarship.
It is against this background that the magnus princeps medal has emerged,
showing the great Ottoman emperor
somewhere in his mid-twenties, for which preparator
y sketches are likely to have been made in the mid- to
late 1450s.

The medal is a cast of very fine quality and the softl

y textured relief reveals skilful and sensitive technique. It has
suffered little after more than five hundred
years, with a surprising amount of detail present and only a small
degree of wear over the higher points of its surface
.
 has been gently rotated to a three-quarter
Mehmed’s head and neck are shown in profile, while his torso
dered garment that is fastene d by four buttons. His caftan-type robe
view. He wears a wide-coll ared, embroi
, consistent with the traditions of Ottoman royal attire.
appears to enclose another garment, perhaps a dolman
al Council) states that the practice of wearing a
Bernard Lewis in his article on the Diwani-Humayun (Imperi
was introduced during the reign of Orhan, probably
twisted turban (burma dulbend) when attending the diwan
showing th at it was for a public audience. It may have been during
one or more of these that the artist was
permitted to work on the portrait.

patterned cap is written in cursive script

On the narrow layers of twisted cloth which hold in place a soft,
1). The text translates as “To God’ or ‘For
the word Allah (or li-llah) which appears twice in the weave (fig.
be observed by rotating
God’ and represents a foreshortening of the kalima, the statement of faith. It can
into alignment. By
the medal until the first letter of MAGNVS is uppermost, at which point /i-/lah comes
is reached where
turning the medal once more until the first letter of MEHOMET is uppermost, the point
almost
the repeated phrase comes into alignment. The characterful modelling of Mehmed’s portrait has
certainly been based on sketches taken from life, and its rendition is the more remarkab le given the medal’s
shallow relief. So compelling is the portrait that the preparatory drawings and the wax model for the medal
are likely to have been executed by the same artist.

figure 1

The
eh desig
ae tteri ;
the magnus princeps bear some similarities to the medallic work of Pietro (di
Je Wits 2 a eee: ere and occasional medallist, who worked first in Ragusa, but moved
Sa i = e sewhere in Europe. The attribution to da Milano is supported
by the presence
, which have been discreetly placed along two folds of Mehmed’s turban,
in the ae of a
monogram, situated almost directly above his side-lo
cks (fig. 2). It show s P lying on its back facing forward
and downwards towards the Sultan’s brow. This P was
in turn joine d to the letter M on its side facing
backwards and upwards towards the back of the turban.
The medallis ts of the Italian Renaissance usually
signed their medals on the reverse but, in this exceptional
and most remarkable case, since the medal had a
blank reverse it would appear that Pietro cleverly but modestl
y took credit for his work where it would not
interfere with the design, but would still identify it as his own
achievement.

figure 2

The period of creation for the magnus princeps, around 1460, occurred many years before a commercial market
for medallic images of the Sultan had fully developed. This would help to explain the rarity of the medal,
intended as it seems for personal gratification rather than general distribution.

The circumstances in which the medal came to be made are not known, but Mehmed II’s interest in the
genre, and his desire to have portraits of himself, are well documented. Mehmed Fatih was a many-sided
genius who never failed to appreciate the good qualities of his new subjects and was eager to learn from
those of cultures different from his own. It is recorded that in 1461 he received a letter from Sigismondo
Malatesta, Lord of Rimini, praising him for his appreciation of portrait images, and stating that through
bronze the faces and virtues of famous men become widely known.

The noble and heroic portrayal of Mehmed II readily brings to mind his momentous victory at Constantinople
in 1453, within just a few years of which this remarkably expressive portrait had been sketched and the medal
cast. Re-discovered after more than five centuries, the magnus princeps medal provides an invaluable record of
the great Ottoman ruler at the very height of his powers.

Provenance:
Christie’s (Rome), 14 December 2000, ‘Monete, medaglie, decorazioni e libri di numismatica’, lot 696.

Recorded Examples:
A poor quality bronze cast of much later production, its detail largely indistinct, is in the Civiche Raccolte (Milan); an
example in lead is in a private collection; and the existence of another, in lead or base metal, is yet to be confirmed.

Literature:
Babinger, Franz. Mehmed the Conqueror and his time (Bollinger series XCVI, Princeton, NJ 1978).
Hill, George Francis. Corpus of Renaissance Medals, 2 vols. text and plates (1930).
Raby, Julian. ‘Pride and Prejudice: Mehmed the Conqueror and the Italian Portrait Medal’, Italian Medals (ed. J. G. Pollard).
Symposium Papers VIII (Washington, 1984).
Spinale, Susan, Reassessing the So-Called ‘Tricaudet Medal’ of Mehmed II’, The Medal 42 (2003), p.3-22.

The medallist’s monogram was discovered by the Islamic scholar and academic Robert Darley-Doran.
Further details of this medal and Mehmed II may be found online at www.the-saleroom.com/baldwins and www.baldwin.co.uk
 - = Tae Rage
SL Py RS KARR WOR LOS
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= | am AN HO
ats

‘xwas

130 + Ahmad III (1115-1143h), Gold Presentation Five Ashrafi, Qustantaniyya 1115h, 13.57g
(Pere Osmanlarda
Madeni Paralar 504). Has been mounted at 12 o'clock but expertly repaired, otherwise about extremely
fine and
extremely rare, especially without the usual piercing.
£15,000-20,000
This piece is generally considered to be the most beautiful of all
Ottoman coins. |t places the Sultan’s tughra in what appears
to be a garden, which, considering that the reign of Ahmad
III was known as ‘the Tulip Period’, is entirely appropriate. These
large presentation p ieces were inspired by contemporary
Venetian issues of similar size. Obviously they were not intended for
daily circulation, bu t kept as family treasures,
most often mounted for display.
Og

131 + ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (1277-1293h), Gold Five Guineas/500-Ghurush, Misr 1277h, ry 15, 42.63g (KM 265).
Small edge knock at 9 o'clock on the obverse, otherwise extremely fine and very rare. £12,000-15,000
This magnificent Five Guinea / 500-Ghurush coin was struck in tiny numbers as gifts for the Khedive’s family and court.
Records of the Egyptian mint indicate that only 56 pieces of this denomination were ever struck.
OTTOMAN EGyPT

132 ‘Abd al-Hamid II (1293-1327h), Silver Pattern Talari /20-Ghurush, Misr 1293h, ry 9, obv tughra
of ‘Abd
al-Hamid II within wreath, mark of denomination below, rev the Arabic statement
“Justice and Equity
are the Foundations of the State”, regnal year 9 above, all within ornamental
frame, 27.94¢ (Krause
Mishler Pn21). Impaired proof, extremely fine and extremely rare.
£20,000-25,000
This pattern Talari bore the statement of the colonial reformers
of E gypt, which was put forward as a serious suggestion for the
new European-style coinage. This was perhaps one step too
far for the traditional-minded Egyptian public. In the event, the
statement was rejected, and a conventional reverse
was selected for the actual coinage.
It is thought that approximately ten sets of the 20-,
10- and 5-Ghurush of this type were prepared by the Berlin mint, only one
of which appears to be intact today and this is in the
D ar al-Athar collection in Kuwait.
 MAHDI OF THE SUDAN

133 + Anonymous temp. al-Mahdi (1298-1317h), Gold “Guinea”, “Misr” 1255h% ry 2, 7.14g, the normal
weight of an Egyptian Guinea is 8.50g (Krause Mishler 3). Scuffed surfaces and lightly polished, otherwise
about extremely fine and very rare. £8,000-10,000
It is recorded that when the Mahdi seized power in the Sudan he used an Egyptian Guinea, bearing the tughra of the Ottoman
Sultan ‘Abd al-Majid as a pattern for his gold coinage. It is clear that this coin is a reasonable copy, but that it would only fool
those who had to accept it in Umdurman (Khartoum), the Mahdi’s capital. The weight of this coin matches that of the Ottoman
Lira (7.2g) rather than that of the Egyptian Guinea (8.50g). It is said that fiscal difficulties caused the Mahdi to withdraw his
initial good coinage from circulation before his death.

ALID OF TABARISTAN

134 al-Hasan b. al-Qasim (first reign, 306-311h), Gold Medallion Dinar, mint name fi khilafa abi-Muhammad
bi-Amul, 310h, 4.06g (unrecorded by Vardanyan; Album B1524). Slightly crimped, otherwise about
extremely fine and extremely rare. £5,000-6,000
This is a previously unrecorded Dinar of this Alid da’i of Tabaristan. This coinage was discussed by Stern in his Coinage of Amul
1967 and recently by Aram Vardanyan in an article, Numismatic Evidence for the Presence of Zaydi ‘Alids in the Northern Jibal, Gilan
and Khurasan from AH 250 to 350 (AD 864-961), in the Numismatic Chronicle 2010, where he passes from coinage dated 309h to
311h, omitting 310h.
BATINID

foie eS sane
‘ me te
‘ime =

135 + Muhammad I b. Buzurgumid (532-557h), Gold 4-Dinar, Kursi al-Daylam 555h, 1.42g (Album 1918).
A bold strike, good very fine and very rare. £3,000-4,000
The first ruler of the Isma’ili sect of Islam, Muhammad I bin Buzurgumid regularly placed his own name in the obverse field
of his coinage, and in the reverse field ‘Ali wali Allah Mustafa li-din Allah Nizar, which are the name and caliphal titles of the
founder of his faith Nizar, the long-dead heir of the Fatimid Caliph al-Mustansir. In the event, after al-Mustansir’s death in
487h / 1094 CE Nizar fled to Alexandria where he took the title al-Mustafa li-din Allah. Nizar then mounted an abortive revolt
but was captured and murdered. Some of his followers broke away from the Fatimids, and later became famous as the Batinids
or Assassins of Alamut in northern Iran. Their coinage began under Muhammad I bin Buzurgumid and continued for the
remainder of the dynasty. It is a popular series, both because of its rarity and the light it shines on the development of the
Isma‘ili branch of Islam.

DULAFID

136 + ee b. ‘Abd al-’Aziz (265-280h), Gold Medallion Dinar, Hamadhan 275h,

without name of caliph,
./8g (Bernardi 203 Mu; Album 1397P). Crimped, otherwise good very fine and very
rare. £8,000-10,000
The legends on this traditional Abbasid style donative Dinar
are interestin g because the name of the caliph is omitted and that
- the issuer, Ahmad, is placed in the lower line of both the
obverse and re verse fields. This emphasises the personal nature of
the donative, presumably given only to members of his
own family and hi gh-ranking administrators.
137 Ahmad b. ‘Abd al-’Aziz (265-280h), Gold Dinar, Hamadhan 278h, 4.64g (Bernardi does not
record this
date and type for Hamadhan; Album 1397). About very fine and very rare.
£6,000-8,000
This coin, in distinction to the previous one, names both the Abbasid Caliph al-Mu’tamid and al-Mu’tadid as heir.

HARTHAMID

138 Rafi’ b. Harthama (268-283h), Gold Dinar, al-Muhammadiya 278h, 4.23g (Bernardi 208 Mh, 1 ref).
Slightly uneven strike, but good very fine and extremely rare. £8,000-10,000
Rafi’i bin Harthama was a vigorous participant in the game of “musical chairs” which was played out in Tran in the 3" Century
of the Hijra. He was the only member of his family to be acknowledged numismatically. On this coin he is known ee ae
(the Victor), an epithet that was probably given to him after his victory over the Alid of Tabaristan, Muhammad i af os
hypothesis is confirmed by the presence of the Conquest or Victory Surah, number 48, in the obverse margin of oe inar - '
have indeed granted you a manifest victory so that God may pardon you your sins of the past and the future ae may perfec
His blessing upon you”. After the death of the last Tahirid in 268h / 882 CE Rafi’ claimed Khurasan, and attempted a resurgence
in central Iran. However, he was ultimately driven out and killed by the Saffarids in 283h.
SALJUQ OF KIRMAN

139 Qara Arslan Beg Qawurd (440-465h), Gold Dinar, ‘Uman 450h, 4.20g (unrecorded mint for this
dynasty). About extremely fine and the only known example. £60,000-80,000
Unrecorded in the Central Bank of Oman’s publication The Coinage of Oman by R & E Darley-Doran.
This is a previously unrecorded coin which confirms that after the expulsion of the Buwayhids from Fars, the coasts of Oman
came under the sway of Qara Arslan Beg Qawurd, the Saljuq ruler of the neighbouring province of Kirman. While these lands
remained under the Kirman Saljugs until 536h, there was no numismatic evidence of their presence there until the discovery
of this Dinar.

AFRASIYABID

140 temp. Kiya Afrasiyab (c.753-776h), Gold Dinar, Sari 759h, 4.25¢ (see Album A2347, but no gold coins
recorded for this dynasty). Slightly uneven strike, good very fine and extremely rare. £5,000-6,000
ea records that the Afrasiyabids were an ancient Iranian Mahdist dynasty in Mazandara
n, which had several branches.
i eir coinage was all dated from 753h until around 776h. It is generally very difficult
to assign it to any particular ruler as
€ coms are issued either anonymously or else they name the hidden Shi‘ite Imam
al-Mahdi Muhammad. On this previously
unrecorded Dinar, , thethe only
c gold coin known for this d ynasty, the date 759h shows it
Afrasiyab, but the spiritual ruler is named as al-Sultan Mahdi in the i to have b i i i
field legends. tie die tates ce
 ILKHAN

141 Uljaytu (703-716h), Gold Multiple Presentation Dinar, Madinat Baghdad 709h, 16.67g (Diler I/hans
UI-364, but unrecorded in gold). Slight weakness on the obverse rim at 2 o'clock, otherwise extremely fine and
extremely rare. £70,000-80,000

This beautiful piece is an example of Uljaytu’s Type B Shi’a coinage, one of a series from the Baghdad mint which display
Ilkhan artistry at its best. It is possible that this was a form of treasury coin intended for dispatch to the court of the Ilkhan for
distribution at important ceremonies, for use as jewellery or family savings.
142 Abu-Sa’id (716-736h), Gold Presentation Multiple Dinar, Baghdad 719h, 25.03g (Diler type C Ab 487,
but unrecorded in gold). Extremely fine and extremely rare.
£70,000-80,000
This is a special striking of the third of Abu Sa’id’s coinage types, known by its
distinctive obverse design as the “mihrabi”
type. While this style
is frequently encountered in poorly struck examples of silver double Dirhams,
is previously unknown. gold of this size and type
143 Arpa Khan (736h), Gold Dinar, Baghdad 736h, 7.02g (Diler Arb 686, but unrecorded in gold). About
extremely fine and extremely rare. £10,000-12,000
When Abu-Sa‘id died without leaving a male heir, the administrators of the IIkhan state cast about for a legitimate Mongol ruler.
In their haste they chose Arpa Khan, a descendant of Hulagu’s brother Arig Bugha. He quickly made enemies by treating the
amirs with contempt, upon which they declared that they would not recognise his rule. To ensure their position in the state
administration, they nominated a puppet ruler, Musa Khan, to replace Arpa Khan. Conflict among the amirs led to a war which
Arpa Khan looked likely to win, but, after a reign of no more than six months, he was defeated and executed.

144 Musa Khan (736-737h), Gold Dinar, Tabriz 736h, 8.52g (Diler Ms 690) Unevenly struck, very fine and
very rare. £8,000-10,000

The style of this Dinar is identical to the last coinage type of Abu-Sa’id, with the square Kufic kalima on the “religious” side of
the coin. This type was employed by Arpa Khan, Musa Khan, Muhammad Khan and Taghay Timur. This design may have
enabled a common exchangeability between the coinages of these short-lived rulers. Although the gold coinage was not struck
fixed standard
to any fixed weight standard, and thus varied considerably in value from coin to coin, the silver was issued to a
of 2.88g for the double Dirham.
145 Muhammad Khan (736-738h), Gold Dinar, al-Jazira 737h, 4.89¢ (type unrecorded by Diler). Extremely
fine and extremely rare. £15,000-20,000
After the execution of Musa Khan yet another ephemeral IIkhan appeared with the name Muhammad. He ruled for only two
years before he too was captured by his enemies and executed. It is recorded that in 737h Musa Khan struck Dinars and Dirhams
bearing the names of the four great pre-Islamic prophets, Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses) and ‘Isa (Jesus). In
the same year, upon the accession of Muhammad Khan, the mint of al-Jazira (Jazira ibn ‘Umar) issued a similar coinage bearing
both the names of the pre-Islamic prophets and the four Orthodox Caliphs as well as his own, Sultan Muhammad. The choice of
this rare type for this particular mint is altogether appropriate because the town is located close to the Jebal Judi (or Judi Dagh),
which was the traditional Mesopotamian site where Noah’s ark grounded after the flood.

, VUeey wo *
we + 4

146 Sati Beg Khatun (739h), Gold Dinar, Baghdad 739h, 2.16¢ (Diler
type SA 722). About extremely fine and
extremely rare.
£8,000-10,000
By this time the leaders of the fragmented IIkhan state
turned in desperation to
This was Sati Beg Khatun, the sister of Abu-Sa’id.
She initially married the Emir
147 Anonymous temp. Taghay Timur Khan (737-754h) or Sulayman Khan (739-746h), Gold Dinar,
Shaykh Kabir (Shiraz) 740h, 4.45g (type unrecorded in gold by Diler). About extremely fine and extremely
rare. £4,000-5,000
This Dinar was struck at a time when the political confusion in what remained of the Ilkhan state left the mint officials so
perplexed that they simply did not know who to name on the coinage of Shiraz. This coin from the shrine of the Great Shaykh
may have been used as a way of generating income for the establishment and as a souvenir for visitors to take away.

QUTLUGHKHANID

148 Shah Jahan (first reign, 694h), Gold Dinar , acknowledging the overlordship of Baydu Khan, Madinat
Kirman, date off flan but 694h, 10.85g (Album T1938). Very fine and extremely rare. £5,000-6,000

The Qutlughkhanid Atabegs of Kirman were in the administrative service of the Khwarazmshah ruler Muhammad, ie i!
later became local rulers who served the Mongols. The early Ilkhans allowed the semi-independent rulers of southern ae fe)
issue their own coinage as long as they acknowledged the overlordship of the current ruler. Wherever a mint ie is visible 2
their coinage it is always Kirman. Their gold coins do not adhere to any fixed weight, and this is an Y eteaad ou) hed
During his brief first reign Shah Jahan was a vassal of the ephemeral Ilkhan ruler Baydu. This is the only gold coin to bear
name and, as far as is known, the only one where Baydu is acknowledged as overlord.
QaAJAR

149 Nasir al-din Shah (1264-1313h), Gold 10-Ashrafi Medal, commemorating the Shah’s 30" anniversary,
(Tihran) 1293h, 34.61g (Rabino Coins, Medals and Seals of the Shahs of Iran, p.75,no.3). Extremely fine and
very rare. £10,000-15,000
This magnificent medal is a product of the modern equipment used at the refurbished mint of Tehran. It provides a particularly
fine representation of the arms of Iran where the lion and sun are displayed in full splendour.

+
Onin Po

150 Nasir al-din Shah, Gold Double Toman, commemorating the

Shah’s return from Europe, (Tihran),
obv 1299h, rev 1307h, 5.69g (Krause Mishler 943). About extreme
ly fine and very rare. £3,000-3,500
A number of commemorative medals were struck
to mark Nasir al-din Shah’ s stately progress through the courts
where he was wined and dined and left behind of Europe,
any stories of his imperial ways. This coin was struck at the time of his
man
triumphal return home. Unfortunatel y some of his ungrateful subjects did not show
assassinated by one of them in 1313h. proper respect for him and he was

END
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prior to the auction.
Bidding begins below the low estimate and if yours is
The catalogue is printed with estimates alongside each the only bid you will win the lot for the opening price
lot. This is intended as a price guide for interested no matter what your top bid may be. In the event of
bidders. Although it is our opinion of the value of the identical absentee bids, the earliest received will take
lot, bidders should be clear in their own minds what priority.
each lot is worth and should be prepared for prices to
rise if there is competition for the lot. All lots can If you are bidding in our auction for the first time,
realise hammer prices both above and below the please give us the name of another dealer or auction
printed pre-sale estimate. In normal circumstances, house that knows you well as a reference. If you are
each lot is reserved at 80% of the lower estimate (in unable to do this, we can only send you your lots after
some cases this may be higher) and bids below this are your invoice has been paid in full.
very unlikely to be accepted.
Invoices will be prepared on request during and after the
Bidding may be carried out by you in person or by a auction. These will indicate the total due to A H Baldwin &
representative of your choice (please ask a member of Sons Ltd (including postage and insurance costs). Invoices
Baldwin’s staff for more information on this). To collect will be sent by Royal Mail to bidders approximately two
your bidding number visit the registration table outside days after the auction has ended. Baldwin's regret that
the auction room. Please ensure that you arrive in plenty invoices cannot by sent by email. Full prices realised will be
of time for the lots you are interested in. A time guide is included with each invoice posted and are available on
printed at the front of this catalogue and approximately request shortly after the auction.
200 lots are sold per hour. However, bidders are
reminded that this is a guide only and Baldwin’s cannot The price paid by the bidder is the hammer price plus
be held responsible if you miss your lot. 24.00% buyer’s premium (including VAT). Book lots are
Alternatively, bids may be submitted by filling out the not subject to VAT. Lots exported outside of the European
bidsheet found in this catalogue. They must be submitted Union may not be subject to VAT where A H Baldwin
in writing either by post, email or fax to the Baldwin offices & Sons Ltd hold proof of export. Ask Baldwin’s for
to arrive not later than 24 hours prior to the sale. Please more details where this may apply to you.
include a street address in your email. Bids left by
telephone are at the bidder’s risk. Baldwin’s will accept no For lots sent by post a standard minimum charge of
responsibility for errors in the execution of bids submitted £6.20 will be applicable for UK customers. Postage and
to a member of staff by telephone. It is recommended that insurance will be charged at cost for larger shipments
such bids are confirmed in writing immediately. and those outside the UK (minimum £7.80). Lots will be
sent by Royal Mail, recorded and insured delivery.
Baldwin’s regret that they are unable to confirm receipt of Bidders are encouraged to arrange their own collection/
faxed or emailed bids sent up to 3 days prior to the date of shipment wherever possible.
the auction.

Information for Potential Sellers

We produce quality catalogues which are an expertly Baldwin’s are pleased to offer free verbal valuations of
researched selling tool for your collection. These can be your coins, medals and banknotes and also clear
personalised to create a lasting record. independent guidance for their sale by auction or direct
purchase.
Our catalogues reach a vast international clientele which
is constantly augmented by our presence at international
At the point of consignment you will receive a signed
coin shows including London, New York, Munich,
receipt which details our conditions of sale. You will
Singapore and Hong Kong. This promises favourable
receive a full listing of your items in the sale and a free
results when we auction your coins.
copy of the printed catalogue at least three weeks
Our seller commission begins at 15% (+VAT) but may before the sale date.
be reduced for items of high value or whole collections.
Please ask a member of staff for more details. This is Payment to sellers takes place between 30 and 45 days
the only charge that applies. We make no charge for after the date of the sale. Consignors are not required
photography, storage or insurance and there is no fee to pay any money before the auction as all charges are
for lots that do not sell. deducted from the final settlement.
 CONDITIONS OF SALE
as provided
In the event of any shall rescind the sale and repay to the buyer the price paid by him. Save
The highest bidder for each lot shall be the buyer thereof. r be
1.
discreti on to determi ne the dispute and the herein, A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd shall not under any circumstances whatsoeve
dispute the auctioneer shall have absolute (whether direct, indirect, special or
liable for any costs, expenses or damages
disputed lot may well be re-offered for sale. of
consequential) incurred by the buyer in respect of any lot, whether or not as a result
absolute discretion to divide any lot, to any fault, imperfection, error or description or lack of genuineness or authenticity,
The auctioneer will have
2
w any lots from the sale without including but not limited to loss of any kind of profit whatsoever.
combine any two or more lots, or to withdra
absolute discretion of
giving any reason. The bidding shall be regulated at the () The Auctioneer does not accept the opinions of commercial third-party
the auctioneer. The auctioneer has the right to
refuse any bid or bids. grading services. Refusal of sucha service to grade a coin, or a differ opinion on the
ofence
grade of a coin, is not acceptable grounds for the retum of a lot. Statements and opinions
may be imposed by
3. _ All lots are offered for sale subject to any reserve price that formed by third-party grading services based on their own independent research do not
the seller. affect theauctioneers rights and conditions.

4, All lots are subject to a "BUYER'S PREMIUM" of 24.00% inclusive

of V.A-T,, 8. Alllots are reserved at 80% of the lower estimate, with auctioneer’s discretion.
payable by all buyers.
9. Save as provided in the preceding paragraph of these conditions buyers must
(a) The symbol ‘G’ appearing next to a lot in this catalogue satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of their purchases at the time of delivery. AH
denotes the item is ‘Investment Gold’ and, therefore, a VAT-regis
tered Baldwin & Sons Ltd cannot be held responsible for any discrepancy which might be
trader can submit a claim to H M Revenue and Customs to recover the discovered after the lots have been removed from either the auction room or the
VAT element of the Buyers’ Premium auctioneers’ premises.

(b) Any lot marked with a dagger (t) is subject to import VAT at 10. AH Baldwin & Sons Ltd act solely as agents and shall not be responsible for any
5%, this will be added to the hammer price and is payable by the buyer if default by either the buyer or seller or for any action or claim which may arise in
resident in the EU. If the lot is being exported outside the EU, this import respect of any lot.
VAT can be waived or refunded on proof of export.
11. Each lot shall be held at the buyer's risk from the fall of the hammer. The lot or lots
5. Bidding commissions for anyone unable to attend the auction in person shall be removed by the buyer within seven working days after the date of the sale. A
will be carried out by A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd without any additional charge. H Baldwin & Sons Lid reserve the right to charge storage and to resell by auction or
Bids must be in writing and be received at least 24 hours before the sale. "Buy" privately, without notice to the buyer, any lots not so removed.
commissions will not be accepted. A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd shall not be liable
for errors or omissions in executing any bidding commissions. We cannot 12. Any part of the purchase price left outstanding after the auction pursuant to
guarantee to execute written bids received less than 24 hours before the Condition 5 shall be paid in full within thirty days of the date of the auction. Without
commencement of the sale. If two absentee bidders bid identical sums for the prejudice to any other rights, A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd reserve the right to charge
same lot, the first bid received shall take precedence. interest on any overdue payment at the rate of three per cent per month. Seven
working days’ notice must be allowed for clearance of personal cheques before
6. The buyer of any lot shall, if requested, immediately notify his name and delivery can be made unless prior arrangements have been made with A H Baldwin &
address to the auctioneer and if required, Sons Ltd A 2% surcharge will be applied to credit card payments.

(a) provide bank/or other credit references; 13. Buyers accepting commissions from third parties do so at their own risk and will
remain responsible to A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd for full settlement according to these
(b) __ pay the full purchase price, or a fractional deposit as may be determined
conditions.
at the discretion of the auctioneer.
14. Baldwin’s are not responsible for any inaccuracies in information and results
Ve (a) Lots are sold as shown with all faults, imperfections and errors of given verbally during or after the auction nor any errors in reports subsequently
description and lack of authenticity. Neither A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd nor the vendor produced.
shall give any warranty to any buyer in respect of any lot or be liable for any fault or
error of description or lack of genuineness or authenticity of any lot. All statements as 15. By making a bid the buyer acknowledges his acceptance of these Conditions and
to items sold, whether made in catalogues, during the course of the auction or shall be bound by them.
otherwise, are statements of opinion only and are not and shall not be taken to be
16. If any buyer fails to comply with any of these Conditions, the lot or lots in respect
statements or representations of fact. A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd reserve the right in
forming their opinion to consult and rely upon any expert or authority considered by of which the failure is made may at the discretion of A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd be put up
them to be reliable. again and resold. The damages recoverable from the defaulting buyer shall include,
but not be limited to, the auctioneers’ expenses and commission in respect of the resale
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any lot, other than a miscellaneous item and the amount (if any) by which the price obtained on the resale is exceeded by that
not individually described in the catalogue, should be proved by the buyer to be not obtained on the first sale.
genuine or authentic, or to have been wrongly described in any material respect, the
buyer may reject the same provided that he shall have given notice of his intention so 17. A variation of these Conditions shall only be binding on A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd
todo and shall have returned the same to A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd within seven days and the vendor if it is made in writing and signed by a duly authorised representative
from, and in the same condition as at, the date of sale. The onus of proving alot to be of A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd.
not genuine or authentic or to have been so wrongly described shall lie with the buyer.
Proof of the inability of any recognised expert or authority to express a definite opinion 18. These Conditions shall take effect and be construed in accordance with the
shall not dis-charge such onus. If the buyer shall discharge such onus, the auctioneers provisions of English law.

Methods of Payment
¢ Sterling transfer to A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd, ¢ — Sterling cash, bank drafts and personal cheques made
National Westminster Bank payable to A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd are also accepted.
P O Box 113, 2a Charing Cross Road
London, WC2H OPD e Card payments are subject to a 2% surcharge - including
Mastercard, Visa, American Express and all non-UK cards.
Account number 24525146
There is no charge for UK Debit cards.
Sort Code 60 40 05
IBAN GB80NWBK 60400524525 146
e US$ payments can also be accepted in the form of cash and
Swift Code NWBKGB2L
cheques made payable to A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd, please ask
Please include your name and invoice number when sending for the auction exchange rate.
instructions to the bank and inform A H Baldwin & Sons
Ltd of e EURO payments are accepted in the form of cash only.
your payment in order to speed-up the delivery of your
purchases. Please ask for the auction exchange rate. For bank transfers
and cheque payments a charge of at least £10 must be added to
the amount paid.
 BALDWIN'S
Lhe Name for Numismatics

FREE LIVE INTERNET BIDDING

25 April 2012
Following positive comments from customers who have recently used the service
Baldwin's are pleased to continue offering their live video internet bidding.
7

www.the-saleroom.com/baldwins
For our Islamic Auctions you will be able to bid over the internet in real-time with sound and video:
the lots appear on your computer screen as they are being sold in the room and
you can hear the auctioneer selling each lot - he is aware of your bids as you make them.
please note: You will need to register with an email address and password in order to view the auction
You will need to supply Credit Card details before being able to bid in the auction
Invoices will be sent out in the normal way directly from Baldwins
NO additional fees will be incurred for using this service

for more information about this service or for help in registering on the website
telephone: +44 (0)20 7420 6671 or email: [email protected]

11 Adelphi Terrace, London, WC2N 6BJ

TEL : +44 (0)20 7930 9808 FAX : +44 (0)20 7930 9450 email : [email protected]

OUR SPECIALIST TEAM

Ian Goldbart Managing Director [email protected]

Edward Baldwin Chairman

European, Russian, Colonial and Oriental Coins
Military Medals and Decorations, Books [email protected]
Seth Freeman Director
Tokens and Banknotes [email protected]
Steve Hill Director
English hammered and milled Coins [email protected]
Dimitri Loulakakis Director
English, European and Latin American Coins, modern Greek Coins [email protected]
Andre de Clermont Islamic Coins [email protected]
Graham Byfield Ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Coins, Commemorative Medals [email protected]
Paul Hill Ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Coins [email protected]
Caroline Holmes Numismatic Books [email protected]
David Kirk Military Medals and English Coins [email protected]
Laurent Stainvurcel Numismatic Assistant [email protected]
Matt Curtis Auction Office Manager [email protected]
Caroline Newton PR and Marketing Manager [email protected]

EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS
Daniel Fearon Commemorative Medals [email protected]
Stan Goron Indian Coins [email protected]
Peter Donald Byzantine Coins [email protected]
Robert Darley-Doran Islamic Coins

WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES
Mr Randy Weir P O Box 64577, Unionville, Ontario, L3R OM9
Canada Randy [email protected]

Mr Ma Tak Wo Unit 2A, 9" Floor, China Insurance Building, 48 Cameron Road ; .
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong [email protected]

Price £40
 BALDWINS APEX 0 Name for Shilalelics
Lhe. lame fOr Vanismealics

Forthcoming Auctions:
March 2012 Postal, 15 March 2012
Stamps
Apex Philatelic, Postal Auction 114, General

April 2012 and World Coins, Medals and Banknotes

Hong Kong, 5 April 2012
Baldwin’s Hong Kong Coin Auction 52, Far Eastern
London, 25 April 2012
Auction of Islamic Rarities
Baldwin’s Islamic Coin Auction 19, Specialist Coin
Lingfield, 22 April 2012
Apex Philatelic, Public Auction 115, General Stamps

May 2012 |
Collection (Part |) London, 8 May 2012
Baldwin’s Auction 73, Coins and Medals including The Bentley
London, 8 May 2012
Baldwin’s Islamic Coin Auction 20, Specialist Auction of Islamic Coins
London, 9 May 2012
Baldwin’s Auction 74, Coins and Medals, including Islamic Coins
London, 26 May 2012
Baldwin’s Summer Argentum Auction, Coins and Medals

June 2012
Postal, 14 June 2012
Apex Philatelic, Postal Auction 116, General Stamps

July 2012 London, 17 July 2012

Baldwin’s Islamic Coin Auction 21, Specialist Auction of Islamic Coins
Apex Philatelic, Public Auction 117, General Stamps
Lingfield, 22 July 2012

August 2012
Baldwin’s Hong Kong Coin Auction 53, Far Eastern and World Coins, Medals and Banknotes Hong Kong, 23 August 2012

September 2012
Apex Philatelic, Postal Auction 118, General Stamps Postal, 20 September 2012
Baldwin’s Auction 75, Coins and Medals London, 25 September 2012
Baldwin’s Auction 76, Coins and Medals London, 26 September 2012

October 2012
Baldwin’s Islamic Coin Auction 20, Specialist Auction of Islamic Coins London, October 2012

November 2012
Baldwin’s Autumn Argentum Auction, Coins and Medals London, 3 November 2012
Apex Philatelic, Public Auction 119, General Stamps Lingfield, 4 November 2012

December 2012
Apex Philatelic, Postal Auction 120, General Stamps Postal, 6 December 2012

January 2013
Baldwin’s The New York Sale XXX, Ancient, Russian and World Coins New York, January 2013

February 2013
Baldwin’s Spring Argentum Auction London, February 2013
British and World Coins, Tokens and Commemorative Medals, in conjunction with the London Coin Fair, Holiday Inn

[N.B: These dates are provisional only and may be subject to change. Additional dates may be added later.]

Enquiries with items for inclusion in these and future sales are welcomed
Please contact Seth Freeman or Matthew Curtis

Meet us at the London Coin Fairs held in the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, London WC1

A. H. Baldwin & Sons Ltd, 11 Adelphi Terrace, London, WC2N 6BJ

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7930 9808, Fax: +44 (0)20 7930 9450, email: [email protected], www.baldwin.co.uk

A.H. Baldwin & Sons Ltd. Celebrating 140 years

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