Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 4 9 May 2017
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Islamic Coins, Abbasid, al-Imam al-Ma'mun, bronze matrix for a seal, no place of manufacture or date, field: al-Imam al-Ma'/mun 'Abd Allah/amir al-mu'minin, 22.5 x 23.5 mm; wt. 19.77gms, extremely fine, very rare
This object is clearly not a coin or commodity weight, but it certainly must have fulfilled another official function. The cataloguer suggests that it was a matrix used to prepare official seals to be stamped on letters and other documents to show the possession of items emanating from the office of the "servant of God", al-Ma'mun, "Commander of the Faithful". It is interesting to note that al-Ma'mun is described as the Imam (the Religious Leader") rather than Khalifa (Caliph), a more secular title. (1250 - 1500 GBP)
This object is clearly not a coin or commodity weight, but it certainly must have fulfilled another official function. The cataloguer suggests that it was a matrix used to prepare official seals to be stamped on letters and other documents to show the possession of items emanating from the office of the "servant of God", al-Ma'mun, "Commander of the Faithful". It is interesting to note that al-Ma'mun is described as the Imam (the Religious Leader") rather than Khalifa (Caliph), a more secular title. (1250 - 1500 GBP)