Watch List notes:

ISLAMIC, Anatolia & al-Jazira (Post-Seljuk). Artuqids (Mardin). Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan, AH 580-597 / AD 1184-1200. Dirham (Bronze, 31 mm, 12.28 g, 3 h), uncertain mint (Mardin?), 585-589 AH = 1189-1193 AD. Draped and crowned bust in left field facing, head turned slightly to right, looking at diademed Roman style head to left; above, legend in Kufic bearing the name and title of Husam al-Din, Malik of Diyār Bakr. Rev. Legend in Kufic bearing the name of al-Nasir I Salah al-Din Yusuf, the preserver of the state and commander of the faithful. Album 1829.2. Spengler & Sayles 34. Whelan Type II. Minor flan fault on the obverse, otherwise, good very fine.


The reverse of this issue mentions al-Nasir I Salah al-Din Yusuf, the famous Saladin, who was the Ayyubid overlord of the Artuqids of Mardin. The coin was struck at a time when Saladin was at the height of his power, and the obverse is probably a depiction of an astrological event taking place in 585 AH = 1189 AD, when Jupiter passed in front of the Sun. The smaller bust, which is farther away and wears a crown with tines resembling flames, thus represents the Sun, while the larger, nearer bust is the occulting Jupiter. The coin is not dated, but two events narrow down the time frame in which this coin was struck - the first one is the aforementioned occultation from 585 AH = 1189 AD, the second the death of Saladin in 589 AH / 1193 AD.