Watch List notes:

FATIMID, AL-MUNTAZAR (524-526h), Dinar, al-Mu'izziya al-Qahira 525h. OBVERSE: as lot 132. REVERSE: as lot 132. WEIGHT: 4.15g. REFERENCE: Nicol 2594. CONDITION: Fine to good fine and rare. NOTE: When the Fatimid Imam al-Amir was assassinated in 524h, al-Hafiz was named as his successor but was not initially given the title of caliph. Al-Hafiz was quickly imprisoned by the ambitious Kutayfat, whose father had been vizier under al-Amir and who now attempted to seize power for himself. 'Kutayfat declared the Fatimid dynasty deposed and proclaimed the sovereignty of al-Mahdi, the twelfth imam of the Twelver Shi'is, whose reappearance had been expected since 260/874. As a result of this ingenious religio-political solution to the succession problem...[Kutayfat] acquired a unique position of power, ruling as a dictator responsible to no one either in theory or practice.' (Daftary, F., The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines, Cambridge, 2007). Kutayfat struck coins naming al-Muntazar (the 'Expected One') until he himself was deposed and executed in 526h.

Estimate: £2,500-3000