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 Replies: 9 / Views: 1,821 |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Here is an area that I am just starting to get interested in. Medieval Islamic coinage. I confess I know very little about this area of collecting but for me one way to learn is to buy and study the coins. Here is one type that has interested me for some time so I picked this up for very little money. It is an AE Dirham of Mu'izz ad-Din Sanjar Shah Emir of al-Jazira (northern Iraq) from 1180-1208 AD The Zengid were a Muslim of Oghuz Turk origin that ruled parts of the Levant and upper Mesopotamia under the control of the Seljuks as governors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zengid_dynastyAE Dirham 31mm x 12.6g Image of a face, this one has a small unknown counter mark on the left cheek. The surrounding legend is in Kufic. The reverse is a Kufic legend which I am trying to find a translation for. Reference A-1882, SS 85   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts |
The inscription begins on the obverse naming the ruler Sanjarshah (Sanjar Shah, Sanjar-Shah): al-malik al-Muzaffar Sanjar Shah bin Ghazi. The reverse center names the 'Abbasid caliph and Sanjarshah's Ayyubid overlord al-Nasir Yusuf (Saladin): al-Nasir li-Din Allah / amir al-mu'minin / al-malik al-Nasir / Yusuf bin Ayyub. In the reverse margin is the date, written out in words: (top) sana arba' / (left) wa themanin / wa khamsmi'at ("year four and eighty and five hundred"). It's always a plus having a coin that names Saladin, sort of a two-for-one. What you are seeing as a countermark is actually a trace of the undertype, which is also visible on the reverse. It is not uncommon for these coins to be struck over an earlier issue. Image below from Poole (1877), Catalogue of Oriental Coins in the British Museum. Vol. III: Turcomans, p. 227.  Edited by Kushanshah
07/09/2018 10:43 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Nice! The figurative coinage of the Turkish dynasties of Asia Minor and Mesopotamia is one of those collecting areas that has tempted me from time to time. I've eyed a number of them in Wayne Sayles' listings, and other venues, through the years, but never took the plunge. I think the large AE's of those groups- the Zengids, Seljuqs, and Artuqids - are very appealing. I know that Turkoman Figural Bronze Coins and Their Iconography by Sayles and William Spengler, which I believe consists of a couple volumes, is a good reference for these.
Really nice addition there, Ron. Countermark on the cheek, or perhaps an overstrike with lettering from the host coin showing through?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts |
Arabic Translations:
Obv. "the king the Victorious Sanjar Shah (both "Sanjar" and "Shah" mean "king" in Persian) son of Ghazi ("Warrior", i.e. Sayf al-Din Ghazi I, apparently no coins)".
Rev. "Defender of the Faith of Allah (regnal name of the caliph) / commander of the faithful (traditional title of the caliph) / the king the Victor / Yusuf (Joseph) son of Ayyub (Job)".
Edited by Kushanshah
07/09/2018 10:29 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Very nice, and good example with a clear undertype showing!
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Wow Kushanshah that is great information. With it making a reference to Saladin that makes it all the more interesting. Well worth the $25 I paid for it.
Thanks Bob for your comment and the information on the reference. I'll see if copies are available.
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Pillar of the Community
 Spain
2752 Posts |
Nice looking coin!
I don't know anything about these but I can see the appeal!
Congrats Paul
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Bob I just bought the two books, also have an Artuqid coin on the way.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Excellent. Sounds like you're committing to building a subcollection. Looking forward to seeing the new coin when it arrives.
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
You know me my tastes run everywhere, I like to find new coin areas and try and build small collections. My main interest still is Sasanian.
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Replies: 9 / Views: 1,821 |
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Posted 07/09/2018 9:53 pm
