Chinghizids (Great Mongols). AE jital (20 mm). Shafurqan mint. Time of Chinghiz Khan (1206-1227). Obverse: Kalima in 3 lines "la ilah illa/ Allah Muhammad/ rasul Allah" (There is no god but God, Muhammad is the prophet of God)/ legend in 3 lines within lobed square "al-Nasir/ ud-Din Allah/ amir al-mu'minin" (al-Nasir ud-Din Allah, Commander of the Faithful [Caliph]), partial legend around edge including mint name of Shafurqan. Album A1972, Tye 325. This coin: Stephen Album Internet Auction 26, lot 349 (April 2024). The life and legend of Chinghiz (also spelled Genghis) Khan is too well known to bear repeating here. Instead, I'll focus on the actual coin. Nearly all coins of Chinghiz Khan do not bear his name. Some refer simply to "the khan", while others, like this type, make no mention of the Khan or Mongols at all. Instead, the only ruler cited here is the Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir (reigned 1180- 1225). Thus, this coin is attributed to Chinghiz only indirectly, as he is known to have conquered the city of Shafurqan (in northern Afghanistan) during the time of Caliph al-Nasir, and slightly earlier coins of the city cite the Khwarezmshah ruler 'Ala ud-Din Muhammad, who lost to Chinghiz in 1220, so the coin was probably not minted prior to Chinghiz' conquest. Coins of Chinghiz closely follow existing local types of the conquered lands, which in the Muslim areas meant including the kalima (Muslim declaration of faith) and often citing the Caliph. This coin is listed in Tye as being billon, but Album refers to it as AE; if there is any silver in the alloy of this specimen, it is well-hidden. Please post your coins of Chinghiz Khan, or whatever else is related.
A wonderful piece of history. I still need one for hom but not sure what to look for or the fair price point.
