ISLAMIC, Persia (Post-Mongol). Safavids. Mohammad Khudabanda, AH 985-995 / AD 1578-1587. Mithqal (Gold, 19 mm, 4.62 g, 2 h), type A, Qazwin, AH 986 = AD 1578/9. Shiʿa kalima in the center, ‘lā ilāha illā Allāh / Muḥammad / rasūl Allāh / ʿAlī / walī Allāh’ (‘There is no deity but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. Ali is the friend of Allah’ in Arabic); the names of the twelve shiʿa imams in four ornamental cartouches around. Rev. ‘qolām-e emām Muḥammad Mahdī ʿalayh wa ābāʾihī al-salām Abu’l-Muẓaffar sulṭān Muḥammad pādshāh, zarb-e Qazwīn 986’ (‘The servant of Imam Muhammad Mahdi, peace be upon him and his fathers, Abu’l-Muzaffar Sultan Muhammad, the King. Struck in Qazwin 986’ in Arabic/Persian); marginal legend effaced. Album 2616.1. Rare. Light areas of weakness and with a minor flan fault, otherwise, good very fine.

Ex Album 40, 13 May 2021, 743.