hello, found this recently, info on holder states silver dirham 1200-1230 AD,Holyland Crusader coin,i put it up on Antiquers board and it was suggested I show it here, I would laso like to know if possible whzat the dark spot is or might be, I havent removed from folder, thank you all for looking and for any help I might receive, I have researched, but unable to find one exactly like this,
i have several crusader coins, but i've never seen one like that. interesting, but i don't know what it would be welcome to the dark side(ancients)
Looks like an Ayyubid dirham, possibly Saladin or Abu Bakr, not sure which others issued this type. Look here: https://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=792 and drill down to the six-pointed star type for each ruler for an exact match.
It's possible that the dark spot is the result of some of the copper in the coin reacting to something in its environment. Most silver coins contain some copper, and on occasion the different metals aren't evenly distributed throughout the alloy, allowing corrosion in some areas to occur before other areas.
Welcome to the forum, Nancy Neal! Crusade era coins are not within my collecting field but I have had a passive interest in them over the years. The coin in your photo looks like a Crusader imitation of an Ayyubid Silver Dirham of al-Zahir Ghazi of Aleppo, struck at Acre. They’re fairly common and can be had for approximately $100+/-. I'm not an expert however.
I think @Deacon Ray has got it! See https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1570928 , and https://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=7475 for the imitated type.
