I have a coin that appears to be dated 1199 but after speaking to someone regarding the date it may appear to be 1299, AH One side shows a set of mid-located scales with 1199 located in the middle, and apparently Middle Eastern writing on the obverse. On both sides, the features are rimmed with a scroll work pattern inside a ring. The coin looks black but because of the lighting when taking the photographs one side looks bronze and the other looks silver. I have enclosed 2 pictures Any help in identifying and pricing the coin would be much appreciated.
Zanzibar (island off coast of Tanzania) 1 pysa, copper, Muslim date of 1299 corresponds to AD 1881-1882 (began Nov.23, 1881). There were 4.64 million minted that one year and it's worth about $1-$2. You might also try a library for a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.
This is the most common Zanzibari coins.As a collector of British Commonwealth coins,I have got one of these.The obverse design of the Zanzibari 1 Pysa is very similar to the design of the 1888 Mombasa 1 Pice,which also has a pair of scales.AH1299 is 1882. Aidan.
Zanzibar. Arabic legend: "SULTAN SAID BIN BURGHUSH BIN SULTAN, ALLAH HAFZHAHU" which means: "RULER SAID SON OF BURGHUSH SON OF RULER. ALLAH KEPT HIM" where SULTAN is being used sometime as a private name. The date near scales is 1299 AH = 1881 AD. I have that coin.
