Egypt Ayyubid Gold Coin Alexandria Mint Al-Aziz Uthman Dinar 585-595 AH / 1193-1198 AD VF

Description:  Gold dinar from Al-'Aziz Uthman or Othman, the Ayyubid Sultan who ruled Egypt and Syria in the period 589-595 AH (1193 - 1198 AD). Al-'Aziz Uthman is the second sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty. He ascended the throne upon the death of Al-Nasir Salah Al-Din Yusuf I (Saladin). His full name being, Al-'Aziz 'Imad Al-Din Abu Al-Fath 'Uthman Ibn Yusuf. Please carefully review the scan as it is part and parcel of our description.

Date: Date is missing from the coin, but was struck during the rule of Uthman or Othman sometime in the period 1193-1198 AD.

Mint: al-Iskandareiya, current day Alexandria in Egypt

Size and Weight: This is a dinar, weighs 3.25 grams and is 19 mm in diameter.

References: It is Album #794, it is similar to Balog as 190-193 but the date is missing and is listed as 1354 in Lane Poole's Catalog of the Khedivial Collection.

Condition: I would grade this coin as very fine. The coin has a granular texture and some areas of weakness. However, the calligraphy is clear and very readable and the mint name is clear. Please note the coin itself is much better than the scan shows with very well defined and legible calligraphy. A definite quality coin.

Historic Prespective: The Ayyubids were one of the great Islamic dynasties. The dynasty was founded by al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf I (Saladin) in AH 564/1169 AD and ruled in Egypt and Syria until falling to the Mamluks in the mid 7th century AH. The Ayyubids are of Kurdish origins. Saladin and his brother Shirquah were recruited among others by the Zangid Nur Al-Din. Shirquah gained control over Egypt from the fatimids, and died almost immediately, leaving his nephew Salah El-Din Ibn Ayyub as his successor and soon was recognized by his troops. Saladin (probably the most respected figure of the middle ages by both friends and foes) was the real founder of the Dynasty. With his victory at Hittin in 583 AH/ 1187 AD, the holy city of Jerusalem was liberated from the crusaders and great event in Muslim history. He extinguished the last Fatimids of Egypt and replaced the Isma’ili Shiism by a strongly Orthodox Sunni religious and educational policy.

Al-'Aziz Uthman was the son of Salah al-Din (Saladin). He ruled for about 10 years and issued gold coins, which continued to look like the Fatimid Dinars.