Baldwin & Sons
Islamic Coin Auction 26 6 August 2014
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ISLAMIC COINS, ARAB SASANIAN, 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad, Silver Drachm, KRMAN-NAR = Kirman? 61h, obv portrait bust of Khusraw II right, to right downwards PIRUJ/PEROZ AUBITALA I-ZIYATAN = "victorious 'Ubayd Allah bin Ziyad", 2.71g (Walker, ARAB SASANIAN, p.66:I.32, the first time of publication). Edge expertly shaved, otherwise well-centered, good very fine, of the highest rarity and the greatest historical importance.
This is perhaps the earliest Islamic commemorative coin. It appears to be the only occasion where the word piruj/peroz is seen on an example of 'Ubayd Allah's otherwise abundant coinage, most of which was struck in Basra where he served as governor of Iraq for the Caliph Yazid I b. Mu'awiya. The accession of Yazid I caused strong divisions within the early Muslim community. Several very important leaders refused to give him their allegiance, the most significant of whom were the Prophet's grandson al-Husayn bin 'Ali and 'Abd Allah al-Zubayr, later to be the counter-caliph. Although al-Husayn was advised to remain in Makka he set out to lead his followers in Iraq. Yazid responded by ordering 'Ubayd Allah, his governor of Iraq, to deal firmly with the anticipated arrival of al-Husayn. This challenge resulted in the tragedy of Kerbala on the 10th of Muharram 61h, when al-Husayn and most of his followers met a bloody end, thus sealing the division between Sunni and Shi'a Islam, which lasts until this day.
KIRMAN-NAR is usually read as Narmashir, a small and insignificant town south of Bamm in eastern Iran. Some have questioned the reading of this mint because more plausible alternatives could be deduced from the Pahlawi script. Album suggests that the suffix could be read as WAR, which in his opinion and that of this cataloguer could locate the mint in the important town of Bardasir, which was then capital of the province.
Estimate: £8000-10,000
This is perhaps the earliest Islamic commemorative coin. It appears to be the only occasion where the word piruj/peroz is seen on an example of 'Ubayd Allah's otherwise abundant coinage, most of which was struck in Basra where he served as governor of Iraq for the Caliph Yazid I b. Mu'awiya. The accession of Yazid I caused strong divisions within the early Muslim community. Several very important leaders refused to give him their allegiance, the most significant of whom were the Prophet's grandson al-Husayn bin 'Ali and 'Abd Allah al-Zubayr, later to be the counter-caliph. Although al-Husayn was advised to remain in Makka he set out to lead his followers in Iraq. Yazid responded by ordering 'Ubayd Allah, his governor of Iraq, to deal firmly with the anticipated arrival of al-Husayn. This challenge resulted in the tragedy of Kerbala on the 10th of Muharram 61h, when al-Husayn and most of his followers met a bloody end, thus sealing the division between Sunni and Shi'a Islam, which lasts until this day.
KIRMAN-NAR is usually read as Narmashir, a small and insignificant town south of Bamm in eastern Iran. Some have questioned the reading of this mint because more plausible alternatives could be deduced from the Pahlawi script. Album suggests that the suffix could be read as WAR, which in his opinion and that of this cataloguer could locate the mint in the important town of Bardasir, which was then capital of the province.
Estimate: £8000-10,000