ISLAMIC, Persia (Pre-Seljuq). Ghaznavids. Yamin al-Dawla Abu'l-Qasim Mahmud, AH 388-421 / AD 998-1030. Multiple Dirham (Silver, 46 mm, 10.05 g, 11 h), Andaraba, AH 389 = 998/9. Citing the ʿAbbasid caliph al-Qadir billah (AH 381-422 / AD 991-1031), ‘lā ilāha illā / Allāh waḥdahū / lā sharīka lahū / al-Qādir billāh’ (‘There is no deity but Allah, the One, there is no partner to Him. al-Qadir billah’ in Arabic); a sword below; in the inner margin, ‘bism Allāh ḍuriba hādhā al-dirham bi Andarāba sana tisʿ wa thamānīn’ (‘In the name of Allah. This dirham was struck in Andaraba in the year [3]89’ in Arabic); citing governor Balkategin and chamberlain al-ʿAyadh in the outer margin in Arabic, ‘Balkātikīn – al-ʿAyādh’. Rev. ‘li-llāh / Muḥammad rasūl / Allāh Yamīn al-Dawla / wa Amīn al-Milla / Maḥmūd’ (‘For Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. Yamin al-Dawla wa Amin al-Milla Mahmud’ in Arabic); in the inner margin, ‘Muḥammad rasūl Allāh arsalahū bi al-hudā wa dīn al-ḥaqq liyuẓhirahū’ (‘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]’ in Arabic); in the outer margin, ‘ʿadl – al-ḥājib’ (‘Justice. The chamberlain’ in Arabic). Album 1608. Beautifully toned. Slightly rough, otherwise, very fine.

From a West German collection, formed since the 1960s.