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Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Islamic Auction 3  27 Apr 2023
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Lot 115

Estimate: 2000 USD
Price realized: 2500 USD
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'Abbasid Caliphate. Al-Muqtadir. AH 295-320 / AD 908-933. AV Dinar (25.2mm, 4.08 g, 5h). Al-Muhammadiya mint. Dated AH 302 (AD 914/5). Bernardi 302Mh (this date not recorded); cf Miles, Rayy 149 (dated AH 301). Good Fine. Of the highest rarity, apparently unpublished.

While Miles records standard 'Abbasid dinars from al-Muhammadiya for the years AH 301 and 303, the only gold coin known to him dated AH 302 additionally bore the name of Muhammad b. 'Ali, the Sa'lukid governor of Rayy who held the city at various times between AH 302 and 314. It is recorded that Muhammad b. 'Ali led an army from Rayy in AH 301 or 302 (our sources are inconsistent) against an 'Alid rebel, al-Hasan b. 'Ali al-'Utrush, but was defeated and forced to return to Rayy. Whether the present coin, which is purely 'Abbasid in its legends, was struck during Muhammad b. 'Ali's absence on campaign or in the aftermath of his defeat is not clear, but when writing about the dinar dated AH 303 Miles comments: 'There is no record in the chronicles of Rayy having been reoccupied by the central 'Abbasid authorities, but this would seem to have been the case, if we are to judge by the numismatic evidence.'
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