Numismatica Genevensis SA
Auction 8 24-25 November 2014
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LE MONDE ARABE
THE ABBASID DYNASTY, AH 132-656 (750-1258).
al-Musta'sim, AH 640-656 (1242-1258).
Dinar lourd AH 645 (1247-48), Madinat al-Salam (Bagdad). Inscription sur six lignes, flanquée de deux inscriptions verticales de deux lignes chacune, le tout dans une rosace / Inscription sur cinq lignes, flanquée de deux inscriptions verticales d'une ligne chacune, le tout dans une rosace. 14,38g. A 275.
Très beau.
This is an example of the coinage of the last Abbasid caliph struck at Madinat al-Salam (Baghdad) before the city fell to the Mongols in AH 656 (1258). It is interesting to note that the legends on this coin are the same as those introduced by al-Ma'mun in the year AH 198, certainly a record for longevity in the history of coinage. Although the coinage of al-Musta'sim is not particularly rare, it is seldom found at such a heavy weight, so evenly struck and fully legible as this piece. By the time this coin was struck, gold was regarded as a commodity to be weighed rather than counted as the traditional dinar had been. The issuance of gold by the caliphal mint in the form of ingots provided a guarantee of the purity of the metal itself, thus fulfilling one of the ruler's Qur'anic responsibilities to "give full measure and full weight with justice".
THE ABBASID DYNASTY, AH 132-656 (750-1258).
al-Musta'sim, AH 640-656 (1242-1258).
Dinar lourd AH 645 (1247-48), Madinat al-Salam (Bagdad). Inscription sur six lignes, flanquée de deux inscriptions verticales de deux lignes chacune, le tout dans une rosace / Inscription sur cinq lignes, flanquée de deux inscriptions verticales d'une ligne chacune, le tout dans une rosace. 14,38g. A 275.
Très beau.
This is an example of the coinage of the last Abbasid caliph struck at Madinat al-Salam (Baghdad) before the city fell to the Mongols in AH 656 (1258). It is interesting to note that the legends on this coin are the same as those introduced by al-Ma'mun in the year AH 198, certainly a record for longevity in the history of coinage. Although the coinage of al-Musta'sim is not particularly rare, it is seldom found at such a heavy weight, so evenly struck and fully legible as this piece. By the time this coin was struck, gold was regarded as a commodity to be weighed rather than counted as the traditional dinar had been. The issuance of gold by the caliphal mint in the form of ingots provided a guarantee of the purity of the metal itself, thus fulfilling one of the ruler's Qur'anic responsibilities to "give full measure and full weight with justice".