Watch List notes:

ISLAMIC, Umayyad Caliphate. Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, AH 41-60 / AD 661-680. Dirham (Silver, 30 mm, 4.17 g, 3 h), Arab-Sasanian type, citing the caliph Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, DA (Darabjird), AH 43 = AD 663/4 (frozen year, struck circa AH 52-54). Draped bust resembling Khosrau II to right, wearing elaborate mural crown; behind head, AFZUT GDH ('may his kingship increase' in Pahlawi); before head, MYYAWYA AMYR / WYRWYŠNYKAN ('Mu'awiya, Commander of the Faithful' in Pahlawi); in outer margin, 'bism Allah' ('In the name of Allah' in Kufic). Rev. Fire altar with ribbons flanked by two attendants; in upper left field, six-pointed star; in upper right field, crescent; to left, date; to right, DA (name of the mint in Pahlawi). Album 14. Malek, Arab-Sasanian, 397. SICA I, 245. Walker, Arab-Sasanian,-. Rare. A splendid example of this important issue. Good extremely fine.


This interesting type is the earliest issue to cite a caliph by name and the only known type to cite Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, the famous founder of the Umayyad dynasty.