ISLAMIC, 'Abbasid Caliphate. temp. Al-Mahdi, AH 158-169 / AD 775-785. Dinar (Gold, 18 mm, 4.20 g, 7 h), AH 159 = 775/6. ‘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, ‘Muḥammad rasūl Allāh arsalahū bi al-hudā wa dīn al-ḥaqq liyuẓhirahū ʿalā al-dīn kullih’ (‘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). Rev. ‘Muḥammad / rasūl / Allāh’ (‘Muhammad is the messenger of Allah’ in Arabic); in the margin, ‘bism Allāh ḍuriba hādhā al-dīnār sana tisʿ wa khamsīn wa miʾa’ (‘In the name of Allah. This dinar was struck in the year 159’ in Arabic). Album 214. Some scratches and discolorations, otherwise, about very fine.

From the Asha & Ardeshir Dabestani Collection, formed over the past four decades.