St. James's Auctions
Auction 39 30 September 2016
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A Collection of Maldives Coinage - all coins were minted at Mahle
Muhammad Imad al-Din I (1030-1058h), silver larin, ry 17, wt. 5.47gms. (KM.1), good very fine and exceedingly rare
Ibrahim Iskandar I bin Muhammad (1058-1098h), silver larin (4), 1070h, 1074h, no date, (KM.2.1), 1096h, (KM..2), very fine or better (4 pcs)
Muhammad Muhi al-Din bin Fulan (1102-1103h), silver larin, undated (KM.6), good very fine
Muhammad Shams al-Din al-Hamawi (1103-1104h), silver larin, no date (KM.8) silver half larin, no date (KM.-), the half larin unrecorded, both very fine (2 pcs)
Muhammad al-Hajii bin Ali (1104-1112h), silver half larin (Kuda), no mint 105h, (KM.9), silver larin, no date (KM.10), good very fine (2 pcs)
Muhammad Imad al-Din II (1116-1133h), silver larin (6): 116h; 1121h; 1222h; 1123h; 1129h; 1131h (KM.14.1/14.2); silver half larin (Kuda) (3): 1129h; 1131h; 113xh (KM.13.2), silver quarter larin, 113xh (KM.12), generally very fine or better (10 pcs)
Ibrahim Iskandar II (1133-1163h), silver two lari (Bodu) (2): 1146h; 1154h (KM 17.2/17); silver larin, 1134h; silver/billon larin, 1153h; billon larin, 1154h (KM.16.1), silver half larin, 1134h (KM.15), very fine or better (6 pcs)
Muhammad Imad al-Din III (1163-1168h), billon two lari (2): 1163h; 1164h (KM.20); silver two lari, 1168h (KM.20); silver larin (3): 1163 or 4h; 1164h [2] (KM.19.1); silver/billon larin (2): 1163h; 1166h (KM.19.1), all very fine (8 pcs)
Hasan Izz al-Din (1173-1180h), silver/billon two lari (4): 1173h; 1173h; 1177h; 1178h (KM.23.1/23.2); silver/billon larin, 1173h; billon larin, 1173h (KM.22), mostly good very fine (6 pcs)
Muhammad Ghiyas al-Din Iskandar (1180-1187h), silver/billon two lari, 1182h (KM.26); billon larin, silver/billon larin (2): 1180h (KM.25); billon half larin (2): 1184h; 1186h (KM.24), mostly about extremely fine or better (5 pcs)
Muhammad Mu'izz al-Din (1188-1192h), silver/billon two lari; billon two lari, 1189h (KM.28.1/28.2); billon half larin, 1188h (KM.27), good very fine (3 pcs)
Hasan Nur al-Din I (1192-1213h), billon two lari (4): 1197h; 1200h; 1207h; 1207h (KM 30.1/30.3); copper half larin (4): 1194h; 1197h; 1200h; 1202h (KM.29); billon half larin (4): 1194h; 1197h; 1200h; 1202h (KM.29.2), generally good very fine or better (12 pcs)
Muhammad Mu'in al-Din (1213-1250h), billon two lari (2): 1214h (KM.33.2); billon half larin (2): 1216h; 1219h (KM.32); copper half larin (7): 1221h; 1221h; 1226h (unrecorded date); 1230h; 1248h; 1248h (variety 1); 1248h (variety 2) (KM.32), good very fine or better (11 pcs)
Muhammad Imad al-Din IV (1250-1300h), copper two lari (2): 1294h; 1298h; brass two lari, 1298h (KM 36.1/36.2); copper half larin (17): 1257h; 1276h [6]; 1286h [2]; 1292h [3]; 1294h [2]; 1298h [2] (KM.35.1) and 1286h, very rare type (KM.35.3), all good very fine and extremely fine (20 pcs)
Ibrahim Nur al-Din (1300-1318h), copper half larin (3), 1300h (KM.37.1), all very fine (3 pcs)
'Imad al-Din V (1318-1322h), silver pattern four lariat, 1320h (KM.Pn3); copper four lariat (4), 1320h (one example reeded edge); copper two lari (3): 1318h (unrecorded date); 1319h (2), struck in silver (RR); 1319h (9); copper larin 1318h (2), mainly extremely fine (19 pcs)
Shams al-Din III (1322-1353h), copper four lariat (2); copper larin (2), 1331h (KM 42/41), all uncirculated (4 pcs)
Miscellaneous, silver two lari 1168h, one larin 113xh, billon larin, date illegible, all with Djawa = Java countermark together with brockages (2) and anonymous bronze larin (5), generally very fine (10 pcs)
The condition of the coins overall is very fine or better, with many extremely fine to uncirculated, an exceptional and extremely rare offering (126)
The Maldive Islands consist of 26 natural atolls comprising 1192 islands, their nearest neighbours being India and Ceylon. The islands are located on the major marine routes of the Indian Ocean and are famous as the greatest source of cowrie shells used as currency throughout Asia and Africa from ancient times until the end of the 19th century. The influence of the Arab traders led to the adoption of Islam in the year 1153h and the converted Buddhist Kings adopted the title of Sultan. The first Arab influenced coinage for the Maldives was the larin, a strip of silver, doubled over and stamped with the name of the issuing ruler. The name originates from Lar in the Persian Gulf where it was originally struck. By the late 16th century it was one of the standard currencies of the Indian Ocean. The first larin struck in the Maldives was believed to have been during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim III (1585-1607AD/993-1016h), although the earliest known example was issued by his successor Muhammad Imad al-Din I (1620-1648AD/1030-1058h). An example of this exceedingly rare piece is in this collection. Coins of every ruler who issued coinage for the Maldive Islands are to be found here, details of which are as per the listing below. Of particular note is the Imad al-Din V silver pattern 4 lariat of 1320h.
This is certainly the most comprehensive collection of Maldive Islands coins to be offered at auction. (£10000-12000)
Muhammad Imad al-Din I (1030-1058h), silver larin, ry 17, wt. 5.47gms. (KM.1), good very fine and exceedingly rare
Ibrahim Iskandar I bin Muhammad (1058-1098h), silver larin (4), 1070h, 1074h, no date, (KM.2.1), 1096h, (KM..2), very fine or better (4 pcs)
Muhammad Muhi al-Din bin Fulan (1102-1103h), silver larin, undated (KM.6), good very fine
Muhammad Shams al-Din al-Hamawi (1103-1104h), silver larin, no date (KM.8) silver half larin, no date (KM.-), the half larin unrecorded, both very fine (2 pcs)
Muhammad al-Hajii bin Ali (1104-1112h), silver half larin (Kuda), no mint 105h, (KM.9), silver larin, no date (KM.10), good very fine (2 pcs)
Muhammad Imad al-Din II (1116-1133h), silver larin (6): 116h; 1121h; 1222h; 1123h; 1129h; 1131h (KM.14.1/14.2); silver half larin (Kuda) (3): 1129h; 1131h; 113xh (KM.13.2), silver quarter larin, 113xh (KM.12), generally very fine or better (10 pcs)
Ibrahim Iskandar II (1133-1163h), silver two lari (Bodu) (2): 1146h; 1154h (KM 17.2/17); silver larin, 1134h; silver/billon larin, 1153h; billon larin, 1154h (KM.16.1), silver half larin, 1134h (KM.15), very fine or better (6 pcs)
Muhammad Imad al-Din III (1163-1168h), billon two lari (2): 1163h; 1164h (KM.20); silver two lari, 1168h (KM.20); silver larin (3): 1163 or 4h; 1164h [2] (KM.19.1); silver/billon larin (2): 1163h; 1166h (KM.19.1), all very fine (8 pcs)
Hasan Izz al-Din (1173-1180h), silver/billon two lari (4): 1173h; 1173h; 1177h; 1178h (KM.23.1/23.2); silver/billon larin, 1173h; billon larin, 1173h (KM.22), mostly good very fine (6 pcs)
Muhammad Ghiyas al-Din Iskandar (1180-1187h), silver/billon two lari, 1182h (KM.26); billon larin, silver/billon larin (2): 1180h (KM.25); billon half larin (2): 1184h; 1186h (KM.24), mostly about extremely fine or better (5 pcs)
Muhammad Mu'izz al-Din (1188-1192h), silver/billon two lari; billon two lari, 1189h (KM.28.1/28.2); billon half larin, 1188h (KM.27), good very fine (3 pcs)
Hasan Nur al-Din I (1192-1213h), billon two lari (4): 1197h; 1200h; 1207h; 1207h (KM 30.1/30.3); copper half larin (4): 1194h; 1197h; 1200h; 1202h (KM.29); billon half larin (4): 1194h; 1197h; 1200h; 1202h (KM.29.2), generally good very fine or better (12 pcs)
Muhammad Mu'in al-Din (1213-1250h), billon two lari (2): 1214h (KM.33.2); billon half larin (2): 1216h; 1219h (KM.32); copper half larin (7): 1221h; 1221h; 1226h (unrecorded date); 1230h; 1248h; 1248h (variety 1); 1248h (variety 2) (KM.32), good very fine or better (11 pcs)
Muhammad Imad al-Din IV (1250-1300h), copper two lari (2): 1294h; 1298h; brass two lari, 1298h (KM 36.1/36.2); copper half larin (17): 1257h; 1276h [6]; 1286h [2]; 1292h [3]; 1294h [2]; 1298h [2] (KM.35.1) and 1286h, very rare type (KM.35.3), all good very fine and extremely fine (20 pcs)
Ibrahim Nur al-Din (1300-1318h), copper half larin (3), 1300h (KM.37.1), all very fine (3 pcs)
'Imad al-Din V (1318-1322h), silver pattern four lariat, 1320h (KM.Pn3); copper four lariat (4), 1320h (one example reeded edge); copper two lari (3): 1318h (unrecorded date); 1319h (2), struck in silver (RR); 1319h (9); copper larin 1318h (2), mainly extremely fine (19 pcs)
Shams al-Din III (1322-1353h), copper four lariat (2); copper larin (2), 1331h (KM 42/41), all uncirculated (4 pcs)
Miscellaneous, silver two lari 1168h, one larin 113xh, billon larin, date illegible, all with Djawa = Java countermark together with brockages (2) and anonymous bronze larin (5), generally very fine (10 pcs)
The condition of the coins overall is very fine or better, with many extremely fine to uncirculated, an exceptional and extremely rare offering (126)
The Maldive Islands consist of 26 natural atolls comprising 1192 islands, their nearest neighbours being India and Ceylon. The islands are located on the major marine routes of the Indian Ocean and are famous as the greatest source of cowrie shells used as currency throughout Asia and Africa from ancient times until the end of the 19th century. The influence of the Arab traders led to the adoption of Islam in the year 1153h and the converted Buddhist Kings adopted the title of Sultan. The first Arab influenced coinage for the Maldives was the larin, a strip of silver, doubled over and stamped with the name of the issuing ruler. The name originates from Lar in the Persian Gulf where it was originally struck. By the late 16th century it was one of the standard currencies of the Indian Ocean. The first larin struck in the Maldives was believed to have been during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim III (1585-1607AD/993-1016h), although the earliest known example was issued by his successor Muhammad Imad al-Din I (1620-1648AD/1030-1058h). An example of this exceedingly rare piece is in this collection. Coins of every ruler who issued coinage for the Maldive Islands are to be found here, details of which are as per the listing below. Of particular note is the Imad al-Din V silver pattern 4 lariat of 1320h.
This is certainly the most comprehensive collection of Maldive Islands coins to be offered at auction. (£10000-12000)