Watch List notes:

GREAT MONGOLS: 'Abd al-'Aziz, ca. 1220s-1240s, AV dinar (3.72g), Samarqand, ND, A-S1975, Zeno-169601 (this piece), kalima & caliph's name (al-Nasir) // 5-line text: samarqand / al-imam / al-nasir li-din Allah / amir al-mu'minin / 'abd al-'aziz, blundered marginal legends both sides, unpublished and unique, attractive VF, RRRR. Little is known of the history of Samarqand for the first several decades after the Mongol conquest in 1220. The mint name and the official's name 'Abd al-'Aziz are both very clear, and it may be assumed that this individual was likely the governor or some other official under Mongol authority at Samarqand. The approximate dating to the period of the AH620s-640s is based on style and calligraphy, as confirmed by Pavel Petrov (posted on Zeno-169601). There is no known reference to 'Abd al-'Aziz in the history chronicles, and while most likely he served under Mongol authority, it is also conceivable that he attempted to rebel against the Mongols. This is an extremely important coin, and indispensable for understanding the complexity of Mongol rule in Central Asia after the death of Chingiz Khan.

Estimate: 750-850 GBP