★ II. The East. Coins of the Crusader States – Extremely Rare Christian Arabic Dinar – Grierson C8 ★

CRUSADERS, Christian Arabic Dinars. Mid to late 13th century. AV Bezant – Dinar (22mm, 3.15 g, 3h). Akka (Acre) mint. Dated AD 1251 ( in Arabic ). allāh wāhid ( one God in Arabic) in two lines; inner marginal Arabic legend: · + · al-āb wa’l-ibn wa’l-rīh al-qudus ( The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ); [outer marginal Arabic legend: duriba bi-‘Akka/ sana alf wa/[mi’atayn wa ahad/wa khamsīn li-tajassud ( Struck in Acre in the year one thousand two hundred, one and fifty from the incarnation of the Messiah )] / Large cross pattée, annulet in first quarter; outer marginal Arabic legend: we are glorified by the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ the Messiah from Whom we receive out salvation and life ; inner marginal Arabic legend: · + · and resurrection, and through whom we are delivered and pardoned. Cf. Grierson, Coins of Medieval Europe C8 (for type) ; Balog & Yvon 40; cf. Schlumberger, pl. V, 27 (same); Metcalf, Crusades –; cf. CCS 6 (same). Toned. VF. Very rare.

From the Richard A. Jourdan Collection of Medieval European Coins, purchased from Charles H. Wolfe, III.

‘In 1251, apparently as a result of St Louis’s stay at Acre and papal fulminations against the striking of besanti sarracenati with inscriptions referring to Muhammad, the mint of Acre began to issue coins having a cross as the central type with two circles of inscription, Arabic in language but Christian in context and date by the Year of the Incarnation.’ Grierson, p.135