Watch List notes:

ISLAMIC, Umayyad Caliphate. 'Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, rival caliph, AH 60-73 / AD 680-692. Drachm (Silver, 33 mm, 4.10 g, 3 h), Arab-Sasanian type, citing the rival caliph 'Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr as Amir, DA (Darabjird), PYE 58 = AH 70 = 689-90. Draped bust resembling Khosrau II to right, wearing elaborate mural crown; behind head, AFZUT GDH ('may his kingship increase' in Pahlawi); before head, APDWLA AMYR-Y WRWYŠNYKAN ('Abd Allah, Commander of the Faithful' in Pahlawi); in outer margin, 'bism Allah' ('In the name of Allah') and three pellets to left and right of one star-in-crescent. 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 16. Malek, Arab-Sasanian, 445. SICA I, -. A rare year for Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr. Lightly toned and very attractive. good extremely fine.


This type cites 'Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr as Amir ('Commander' in Kufic), which underlines his claim to the caliphate, as he did not recognize the legitimacy of Mu'awiyas' son, Yazid. However, al-Zubayr was captured and killed in AH 73 by al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, the governor of Kufa and Basra, which ended a civil war that had lasted seventeen years.