★ Copied from Roman coins of the 4th century ★

ISLAMIC, Anatolia & al-Jazira (Post-Seljuk). Zangids (Syria). al-Malik al-Salih Isma'il, AH 569-577 / AD 1173-1181. Fals (Bronze, 19 mm, 3.18 g, 6 h), Halab. Diademed Roman style bust to right; around, legend in Kufic bearing the mint-name and the AH date. Rev. Legend in Kufic in five lines, 'illah / al-Mustadi bi-Amr- / Amir al-Mu'minin / al-Malik al-Salih / Ismai'il'. SICA VI, 845. Spengler & Sayles 76. An attractive and unusually well struck example. Good very fine.

The Roman-style head on the obverse was copied from Roman coins of the 4th century.