Watch List notes:

½ Dirham (1251), Silver, KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM Acre. Arab legend, in centre an encircled short cross pattée flanked by a fleur-de-lis and a moon. Rev. Arab legend, in centre a fleur-de-lis.Balog/Yvon 44; Dupl. 201.In 1251 the kingdom of Jerusalem began minting dirhams and dinars with Christian texts in Arabic and portraying Christian symbolism such as crosses. At this time the kingdom had weakened considerably from the constant wars with the Ayyubids and its own internal troubles. As the period of striking for the silver denominations is limited to 1251 their success must not have been great, possibly due to their rejection by the different religious groups of the kingdom. This series is thus from both an historical and numismatic perspective interesting and highly desirable.Imitates the coinage of the neighbouring Islamic rulers. 1.32 g