ISLAMIC, Mamluks. al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baybars I, AH 658-676 / AD 1260-1277. Dirham (Silver, 21 mm, 3.15 g, 1 h), al-Qahira (Cairo), date off flan. Within a circle, ‘lā ilāha illā Allāh / Muḥammad rasūl Allāh / arsalahū bi al-hudā / wa dīn al-ḥaqq’ (‘There is no deity but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. He sent him with guidance and the religion of truth’ in Arabic); around, ‘ḍuriba bi al-Qāhira …’ (‘Struck in al-Qahira …’ in Arabic). Rev. ‘al-sulṭān al-malik / al-Ẓāhir Rukn al-Dunyā wa al-Dīn / Bibars qasīm amīr al-muʾminīn’ (‘Sultan [and] King al-Zahir Rukn al-Dunya wa al-Din Baybars, associate of the Commander of the Believers’ in Arabic); lion walking to left. Album 883. Nicely toned. Very fine.

From the collection of a Swiss scholar, formed over the past thirty years.