Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 409 8 Nov 2017
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ISLAMIC, Persia (Post-Seljuk). Khwarizm Shahs. 'Ala al-Din Muhammad II. AH 596-617 / AD 1200-1220. AR Double Dirham (29.5mm, 6.71 g, 6h). Citing Abbasid caliph a1-Nasir. Farwan mint. Dated AH 617 (AD 1220/1). Central Kufic legend: Farwan | la ilah illa Allah | Muhammad rasuluallah | a1-Nasir li-Din Allah | amir (Farwan | There is no diety except God | Muhammad is the messenger of God | al-Nasir li-Din Allah | amir); uncertain marginal legend / Central Kufic legend: [Farwan] | al-Sultan [al-a'zam] | 'Ala al-Dunya | wa al-Din Muhammad | bin al-Sultan ([Farwan] | most mighty sultan | 'Ala al-Dunya | wa al-Din Muhammad | bin al-Sultan); in margin, Naskh legend: [...] | sanat seb' | 'ashtrat wa [sitt | mi'at ...] ([...] | struck seven | teen and [six | hundred ...]). SNA Tübingen XIVd, 794-6 var. (date); Album 1716; ICV 1901; E.E. Oliver Collection (J. Schulman, 18 Nov 1907), lot 263 (this coin?). VF, toned, area of flat strike. Extremely rare with this date, not noted by Album.
From the BRN Collection. Ex William F. Spengler Collection.
Coins of Farwan are fairly common for year 614, but very rare for 617. None are recorded in Zeno.ru, and there are none in CoinArchives. This coin was struck during the pivotal final year of the war between the Khwarezmian Empire and the Mongols of Chengiz Khan, when 'Ala al-Din Muhammad was in his last year, an exile on an island in the Caspian Sea. His son, Jalal al-Din had mustered an army in Afghanistan, and defeated the Mongols at the Battle of Parwan in 1221, to the west of Kabul. It was the first major defeat of the Monogls during their initial invasion into Southwest Asia. It is likely that this coin was struck during the preparations for this coming battle, perhaps to finance the army that Jalal al-Din had assembled to face the Mongols.
From the BRN Collection. Ex William F. Spengler Collection.
Coins of Farwan are fairly common for year 614, but very rare for 617. None are recorded in Zeno.ru, and there are none in CoinArchives. This coin was struck during the pivotal final year of the war between the Khwarezmian Empire and the Mongols of Chengiz Khan, when 'Ala al-Din Muhammad was in his last year, an exile on an island in the Caspian Sea. His son, Jalal al-Din had mustered an army in Afghanistan, and defeated the Mongols at the Battle of Parwan in 1221, to the west of Kabul. It was the first major defeat of the Monogls during their initial invasion into Southwest Asia. It is likely that this coin was struck during the preparations for this coming battle, perhaps to finance the army that Jalal al-Din had assembled to face the Mongols.