ISLAMIC, Umayyad Caliphate. temp. 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, AH 65-86 / AD 685-705. Dirham (Silver, 26 mm, 2.76 g, 8 h), Ardashir Khurrah, AH 83 = 702/3. ‘lā ilāh-a illā / Allāh waḥdahū / lā sharīka lahū’ (‘There is no deity but Allah, the One, there is no partner to Him’ in Arabic); in the margin: ‘bism Allāh ḍuriba hādhā al-dirham bi-Ardashīr Khurrah fī sana thalāth wa thamānīn’ (‘In the name of Allah. This dirham was struck in Ardashir Khurrah in the year 83’ in Arabic). Rev. ‘Allāh aḥad Allāh / al-ṣamad lam yalid / wa lam yūlad wa lam yakun / lahū kufuwan aḥad’ (‘Allah is One, Allah is Absolute, He begets not, nor is He begotten, and none is like Him’ in Arabic; Qurʾān 112: 1-4); in the margin: ‘Muḥammad rasūl Allāh arsalahū bi al-hudā wa dīn al-ḥaqq liyuẓhirahū ʿalā al-dīn kullih wa law kariha al-mushrikūn’ (‘Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. He sent him with guidance and the religion of truth, so that He may make it overcome all religions, even though the unbelievers may dislike it’ in Arabic). Album 126. Somewhat rough and with deposits, otherwise, very fine.

From the collection of Dr. D. Löer, formed since the 1970s.