SINCONA Auktion 92

Beschreibung

Mu'ayyad ad-dawla Abû Mansûr as vassal of his brother 'Adud ad-dawla, governor of Jibâl, 367-372 AH (978-983). 5 Dinars 367 AH (977/978), al-Muhammadiya Mint. 21.01 g. The Creed followed by the names of the Caliph at-Tâ'I' lillâh and the head of the family 'Adud ad-dawla, marginal legend mint and date formula followed by li-hijrat an-nabî sallâ llâh 'alayhi wa âlihi. Rv. The Surat al-ikhlâs introduced by qull hûwa and the name of Mu'ayyid ad-dawla. Outer margings containing the legend bi-aymani tâ'irin wa a'azzu nasrin and bi-athbati dawlatin wa amaddu 'umrin ('He may make travelling happy and the support strong; He may make the dynasty steadfast and extend life.', reading of the verse according to Treadwell, Craftsmen and Coins, Vienna 2011, p. 83). Unpubliziert und wahrscheinlich das einzige bekannte Exemplar / Unpublished and possible unique. NGC MS62. Prachtexemplar / Cabinet piece.

This is clearly a donative coin which is not only to be suggested on the basis of the high weight but also according to the use of Sura 112 al-Ikhlâs. This can be seen as a reference to the popular use of old Umayyad dirhams for donations at this period. It may be linked with the use of special coins for donations by the famous vizier Sâhib ibn 'Abbâd (Abû l-Qâsim Ismâ'îl ibn 'Abbâd, * 326, m 385 AH), who began his career at this period as vizier of the Buyid Mu'ayyid ad-dawla and who is renowned for his one thousand mithqal dinar presented to his prince Fakhr ad-dawla in 378 AH, which bore a poem on one side and the Sûrat al-ikhlâs on the other (Ilisch, Geschenkmünzen MNZ XIV, 3, p. 33). The good wishes in the outer margin have to be understood as referring to the help from Allah to grant such favors and at the same time as a vow of the vizier to his ruler.

The fine style suggests a work of the well studied die engraver al-Hasan ibn Muhammad, who sometimes signed his dies. For his activities centered at the mint of al-Muhammadîya/ar-Rayy between the years 335 AH and the beginning of the 370ies AH, see Luke Treadwell, Craftsmen and Coins, Vienna 2011, p. 66-84. For an updated overview over the Buyid coinage including this and other donatives see https://sikkabuya.philosophie.uni-tuebingen.de/catalog/2272.

Finest certified by NGC.