A coin of Saladin

I just won this coin of Saladin in the Roma 35 auction. A few weeks ago someone on the boards asked if there any coins of Saladin on the market. Intrigued I did some searching of my own and found that his silver coins were available. The reason I wanted a coin of Saladin was that I thought he was an interesting character and I believed one of his coins would make a nice addition to my historical figures collection. After all, Saladin fought during one of the most interesting and influential periods of history in Europe-the crusades. He conquered Jerusalem in 1187 and knew as well as fought against Richard I the Lionheart. He was also known as a brilliant military tactician.

There were a number of these gold dinars available in the auction. All I had to do was choose my target and bid. I won this for my first bid.

Please feel free to post any related coins including coins from the crusades, coins of Richard I, or coins of other important Islamic leaders.


Ayyubids. Al-Nasir Yusuf I (Saladin), (564-589 AH/1169-1193 AD) AV Dinar. Al-Iskandariya mint, 585 AH = 1189 AD. "In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, was struck this dinar in al-Iskandariya in the year 5 and 80 and 500" in outer margin; citing the Abbasid caliph "Abu l-Ábbas al-Nasir li-din Allah, commander of the faithful" in inner margin; "al-Imam/Ahmad" in two lines across field / Kalima and Qur`an 9:33 in outer margin; title "`alin al-Malik ghaya Salah al-Din" in inner margin; "Yusuf/bin Ayyub" in two lines across field. Album 785.2; Balog 58; 4.33g, 19mm, 2h.

 

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Nice dinar! Not my area, but a cool addition.

 

Cool coin. I have no coin to offer, just the detail that Dante puts Saladin in the Inferno circle devoted to virtuous pagans, including Homer and Virgil. That is about as good as it gets for a non-Christian in Dante's scheme. It seems Saladin had earned some modicum of respect even from the Christian West.

You should post this coin in the "movie and coin" thread, along with with Ridley Scott's KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

 

Excellent @Orfew ! GOLD is ALWAYS good!

I do not have the Gold version, but I do have Silver. I captured it for the same reason you did: Historical figures!


Ayyubids
al-Nasir Salah al Din Yusuf (Saladin) AH564-589
SALADIN,(AD1169-1193)
AR Dirham 21 mm 2.74 g
Mint: Hamah, possibly AH 582 (AD1186)
Obv: The name the ruler al-Nasir Salah al-Din v Dunya inside a square.
Rev: The name and the titles of the caliph al-Nasir inside a square.
Ref: Album #787.2,
Comment: This is a rare mint with clear date.

 

Some of us got lucky with that auction!

 

CONGRATS!!! What a bonnie coin!! I also collect coins from the crusader kingdoms but still have no´one of Saladin. I definitely have to get one o´these!
By the way, Saladin was Kurdish, not "Arab". We have a kurd in our company (a charming guy ) and for him Saladin is a national hero!

 

Here's what I got on my first bid.

 

Rare mint and rare coin!

 

+1

 

Nice find!

Really cool because of the historical angle. My only Crusader coin is a silver one minted by Bohemund of Tripolis, a bit debased, but still fairly nice. I've got a number of Islamic coins that showed up in an undifferentiated lot of roman, greek, and byzantine coins - one is a silver dirhem and the others are bronze. I believe the bronze ones have the legend "There is no God but God" on them.

 

...two words: EVA GREEN...

 

very interesting design and that it's gold too.

 

Tha dà thaobh air a h-uile sgeulachd agus a dhà-dheug tionndaidhean de dh'òrain (There are two sides to every story and at least twelve versions of every song...)

 

Thank you. Unfortunately, I do not focus on this period or this area of coinage. I felt that I "lucked" into this coin, but just do not know enough about it, nore do I truly know why it is rare (other than "mint").
Best,
Brian

 

I do not know the real reason but Saladin's silvers are really rare. You have a little gem!!!

 

In addition within the natural "monotony" of the muslim emissions (basically calligraphic types), the currencies of the Artuqids have very varied (and bonnies) iconographies

 

Huge congrats @Orfew!! Super cool historical gold!!

 

http://ancientcoinsforeducation.org/docs/islamic_coins.pdf