Umayyad Caliphate. temp. 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. AH 65-86 / AD 685-705. AR Dirham (25.5mm, 2.45g, 3h). Sus mint. Dated AH 83 / AD 702/3. Mint-name reads bi-Sus, i.e. lacking the definite article. Klat 476 (same reverse die). Some staining. Good VF. Rare.
Susa, a rare mint for Umayyad dirhams, is usually rendered in Arabic as al-Sus. For the year AH 83, however, the definite article is omitted, and the mint simply written as Sus. No explanation has been offered for this curious change.