Morton & Eden Ltd
Auction 69 10 April 2014
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UMAYYAD, TEMP. 'ABD AL-MALIK B. MARWAN (65-86h)
Square uniface bronze weight, naming al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf (40-95h)
OBVERSE: Five line inscription: bismillah amr al-A- | mir al-Hajjaj bin Yu- | suf bi'l-wa- | fa hadha miza- | n thalatha (?)
REVERSE: Plain; the edges canted (as seen on later Western coin weights, possibly to make it easier to remove the weight from a fitted wooden box)
DIMENSIONS: 17.1 x 15.7 x 7mm
WEIGHT: 12.20g
REFERENCES: cf. Walker, J., "Some recent Oriental coin acquisitions of the British Museum," Numsimatic Chronicle, Fifth Series, vol. XV (1935), pp.241-253, no.3; cf Baldwin's Islamic Coin Auction 11, 13 July 2006, lot 14
CONDITION: About very fine and extremely rare
NOTE: The legends on the obverse of the example published by Walker are identical to the present specimen except that the denomination is given as sitt for six mithqals. The final word here is not certain but appears to be thalatha, spelled with a final ta marbuta, which would also be appropriate for the weight of the piece.
Walker suggested that these extremely rare metal coin weights were among the earliest such objects produced by the Umayyads, dating them to the period of 'Abd al-Malik's coinage reforms, circa 75h. He also noted that the earliest dated glass weight then known to him was in fact dated 96h, after the death of al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf who is mentioned here as the issuing authority. Walker concluded: "The metal coin weights that were first employed by the Muslims must be extremely rare. I know of no other published example."
Estimate: £3000 - 4000
Square uniface bronze weight, naming al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf (40-95h)
OBVERSE: Five line inscription: bismillah amr al-A- | mir al-Hajjaj bin Yu- | suf bi'l-wa- | fa hadha miza- | n thalatha (?)
REVERSE: Plain; the edges canted (as seen on later Western coin weights, possibly to make it easier to remove the weight from a fitted wooden box)
DIMENSIONS: 17.1 x 15.7 x 7mm
WEIGHT: 12.20g
REFERENCES: cf. Walker, J., "Some recent Oriental coin acquisitions of the British Museum," Numsimatic Chronicle, Fifth Series, vol. XV (1935), pp.241-253, no.3; cf Baldwin's Islamic Coin Auction 11, 13 July 2006, lot 14
CONDITION: About very fine and extremely rare
NOTE: The legends on the obverse of the example published by Walker are identical to the present specimen except that the denomination is given as sitt for six mithqals. The final word here is not certain but appears to be thalatha, spelled with a final ta marbuta, which would also be appropriate for the weight of the piece.
Walker suggested that these extremely rare metal coin weights were among the earliest such objects produced by the Umayyads, dating them to the period of 'Abd al-Malik's coinage reforms, circa 75h. He also noted that the earliest dated glass weight then known to him was in fact dated 96h, after the death of al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf who is mentioned here as the issuing authority. Walker concluded: "The metal coin weights that were first employed by the Muslims must be extremely rare. I know of no other published example."
Estimate: £3000 - 4000