ISLAMIC, al-Andalus (Spain). Umayyads. temp. 'Abd al-Rahman I ibn Mu'awiya, AH 138-172 / AD 756-788. Dirham (Silver, 28 mm, 2.58 g, 8 h), al-Andalus, AH 155 = AD 771/2. ‘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 al-Andalus sana khams wa khamsīn wa miʾa’ (‘In the name of Allah. This dirham was struck in al-Andalus in the year 155’ 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 339. Nicely toned and with a fine pedigree. Some deposits and with minor doubling, otherwise, good very fine.

From a major collection of Oriental coins formed in Europe between 1975 and 1985, Leu 53, 21-22 October 1991, 349 (with original auction ticket).