ISLAMIC, Anatolia & al-Jazira (Post-Seljuk). Artuqids (Mardin). Najm al-Din Alpi, AH 547-572 / AD 1152-1176. Dirham (Bronze, 30 mm, 12.29 g, 4 h). Two diademed heads facing, turned slightly away from one another; legend around in Kufic, 'la ilaha illa Allah / Muhammad rasul Allah / al-Mustanjid billah / Amir al-Mu'minin'. Rev. Youthful female head facing within beaded circle; around within beaded circle, legend in Kufic, 'Najm al-Din / Malik Diyarbakr / Alpi ibn Il-Ghazi / ibn Artuq'. Spengler & Sayles 30.1. A unusually attractive example. About extremely fine.

From an important collection of Ayyubid and post-Seljuk coins.

The heads on the obverse may represent the Gemini constellation, in which case the female head on the reverse would represent Virgo. Gemini and Virgo are the day and night domicile of the planet Mercury.