Been trying to get into early Islamic but that was mostly on the backburner until recently (I only have two right now). I was originally into just Umayyad-era issues but became interested in its successor dynasty the Abbasids after learning about them in my Islamic History class. I couldn't help but get excited when I found coins of caliphs I now recognized! I wanted a coin from this era that was problem-free and affordable (don't we all?), and I settled on this silver dirham of Caliph Al-Mansur of the Abbasid Caliphate. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Mansur (it's not a long read fortunately, if you want to learn more) (seller's photos) The attribution, based on what I found for this type on Forvm: Al-Mansur, Abbasid Caliphate AR Dirham Obv: Kufic legend: There is no deity except God alone He has no equal (in center); In the name of God. This dirham was struck in Madinat al-Salaam year 155 (of the Islamic era) (in margin); Rev: Kufic legends: Muhammad the Messenger of God (in center); Muhammad is the messenger of God. He sent him with guidance and the true religion to reveal it to all religions even if the polytheists abhor it (in margins) Mint: Madinat al-Salam (modern Baghdad; struck 771-772 AD) Ref: Album 213 Size: 25 mm wide Al-Mansur was the caliph that founded Baghdad, which was originally named Madinat al-Salam, meaning the "city of peace". It was constructed as a great round city next to the Tigris River, and it became the capital of the Abbasids and the most important city of the entire caliphate, and quickly becoming the most populous city in the world at the time. al-Khilāfah al-‘Abbāsīyyah, circa mid 8th-9th centuries: (source of map: zonu.com) (More on the Abbasid Caliphate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbasid_Caliphate )
neat coin VK, i have this cousin coin (i know some other here have one as well), an arab sasanian from tabaristan under an abbasid govenor.
Nice coin chrsmat. I've always found the early initiatives by the Arabs interesting. A Standing Caliph coin is on my list of coins to get. Earlier this year I learned that so-called "Arab-Latin" issues were struck in Spain after the Muslims defeated and took over the Visigothic Kingdom. Those are exremely rare though.
That's a very nice coin in a high grade, and it doesn't seem bent, like so many I've seen. You might just push me over the edge into collecting a few Islamic coins. I looked through a tray of them at the Gettysburg show last month, and found them much more appealing than I expected.
Without searching in the forum (I've posted this before), can anyone tell me exactly what the above coin is? Bonus internet points for a full attribution.
I have to admit failure to develop an interest in these coins mostly due to my lack of language skills when it comes to script. I have learned to recognize a few characters in more obscure languages than Arabic but I have not made any progress in reading the legends around the edge of my few coins. Most of mine were selected because they were associated with someone famous. I have the translations but really can not follow to the point of knowing which part is the date and which is the mint city. Harun al Rashid (1001 Nights fame and a contemporary/friend of Charlemagne) 801 AD Bagdad Kaykhusraw II 1243 AD best known for being one of few Islamic rulers to issue a pictorial type. The next two are associated with underlings of Timur / Tammerlane Al ud din Mohamed II - 1263-1303 - just a half dollar size silver coin that sells cheaply and is available easily recently (a hoard?) After all these, all I can read is 'There is no god but God' which appears in one form or another on all.
Doug, that fourth coin has one of the most interesting and elaborate counterstamps. Do you know what it means?
Yeah, I haven't gotten into Islamic much. I have the How to Read Islamic Coins book but find it boring too. I just bought a couple Artuqid bronzes that I found interesting last weekend, and own some Ummayid and Abbasid silver, but haven't really attributed them yet.
The countermark on the timurid coin i believe is acountermark of abu said on a coin of an earlier ruler. In timurid times often older coins were declared illegal for payent unless officially countermarked in name of the current ruler. This countermarking came at a prize. So in fact this was a type of tax mark. Often coins have even more than one countermark. The smaller ones often state only the mint at which the coin was checked and approved.
Yeah I'm trying to recognize phrases on these as well. On my Umayyad issue above I can point out where it says "Muhammad Rasul Allah (Muhammad is the Messenger of God)". My Al-Mansur should provide me with endless fun when I try to read the legends for myself.
=> the term "Rum" comes from the Persian word for the Roman Empire (that is where they distilled all of their rum)
It arrived last week but just got around to photographing it. For a thin silver coin it feels rather sturdy, not like my siliquae that feel fragile. Quite a nice piece that I'm very glad I acquired.