Dr. Busso Peus Nachf.
Auction 427 4-5 Nov 2020
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'Abbasid caliphs
Hârûn ar-Rashîd, 170-193 H./786-809 AD. Half dirham 193 H., Ma'din Bâjunays, anonymous, rev. marginal legend shortened as a result of the smaller diametre and ending with 'alâ d-dîni kullihi. Lowick/Savage -; Vardanyan 207. 1.49 g.; The better one of two known specimens Good very fine
Acqu. Gorny & Mosch auction 148, no. 4532.
Special coins of the weight of half of a dirham or half of a mithqâl or a full mithqâl in silver are a peculiarity of the Ma'din Bâjunays mint North of Lake Van, which was in the hands of the queen Zubayda. Some of these coins are clearly struck for donative purposes, while other types like this one follow the standard type and may rather have to be seen in the context of providing countable coins at a period when paying according to weight became normal (see Lutz Ilisch, Jahresbericht 1997 der Forschungsstelle für Islamische Numismatik Tübingen, pp. 9-10). All of these coins have survived in very small numbers only. The other specimen of this half dirham has been published many times but all the references refer to the same specimen (Spink/Zurich 27, 1987, lot no. 355 = Münzen und Medaillen, Basle, 75, December 1989, no. 383 = SICA 3.1966, Shamma, Coins of al-Ma'mûn and Vardanyan) was struck with the same pair of dies as the present piece, pointing to a low mintage figure.
Hârûn ar-Rashîd, 170-193 H./786-809 AD. Half dirham 193 H., Ma'din Bâjunays, anonymous, rev. marginal legend shortened as a result of the smaller diametre and ending with 'alâ d-dîni kullihi. Lowick/Savage -; Vardanyan 207. 1.49 g.; The better one of two known specimens Good very fine
Acqu. Gorny & Mosch auction 148, no. 4532.
Special coins of the weight of half of a dirham or half of a mithqâl or a full mithqâl in silver are a peculiarity of the Ma'din Bâjunays mint North of Lake Van, which was in the hands of the queen Zubayda. Some of these coins are clearly struck for donative purposes, while other types like this one follow the standard type and may rather have to be seen in the context of providing countable coins at a period when paying according to weight became normal (see Lutz Ilisch, Jahresbericht 1997 der Forschungsstelle für Islamische Numismatik Tübingen, pp. 9-10). All of these coins have survived in very small numbers only. The other specimen of this half dirham has been published many times but all the references refer to the same specimen (Spink/Zurich 27, 1987, lot no. 355 = Münzen und Medaillen, Basle, 75, December 1989, no. 383 = SICA 3.1966, Shamma, Coins of al-Ma'mûn and Vardanyan) was struck with the same pair of dies as the present piece, pointing to a low mintage figure.