ISLAMIC, Persia (Pre-Seljuq). Qarakhanids (United). Ahmad ibn 'Ali (Nasir al-Haqq Khan), circa AH 388-407 / AD 998-1016. Dirham (Silver, 25 mm, 3.27 g), Quz Urdu, AH 401 = 1010/1. ‘lā ilāha 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 Quz Urdū sana aḥad wa arbaʿa miʾa’ (‘In the name of Allah. This dirham was struck in Quz Urdu in the year 401’ in Arabic). Rev. Citing the ʿAbbasid caliph al-Qadir billah (AH 381-422 / AD 991-1031), ‘li-llāh / Muḥammad rasūl Allāh / al-Qādir billāh / Aḥmad ibn ‘Alī Qarā / Khāqān’ (‘To Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. al-Qadir billah. Ahmad ibn ‘Ali Qara Khaqan’ in Arabic); 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 3304. Rare. Areas of weakness and with some flan faults, otherwise, very fine.

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