Gold Islamic Coin Ayyubid Dinar Salah al-Din ibn Ayyub 57XAH Uncertain Mint F+
Description: A good fine gold dinar from Salah al-Din (Saladin) the sultan who established the Ayyubid dynasty and ruled Egypt and Syria in the period 564-589 AH (1169 - 1193 AD). His full name being, Al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf and better known in the western world as Saladin. The coin cites Al Mustadi Bi-Amr Allah as the Abbasid Caliph at the time. The date of minting is 57X AH (it is missing the last digit). The name of the mint is off the flan but is most likely al-Qahira (Cairo current capital of Egypt). This is a dinar with three concentric marginal legends on each side with the center of the obverse citing Youssef Ibn Ayyub and the center pf the reverse citing Al-Imam al-Hassan. It is similar to Balog 14 and is listed in Album check list of Islamic coins as 785.1. Please carefully review the photos presented as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: The coin shows the mint date as 57XAH with the last digit missing, or sometime in 1174-1184 AD.
Mint: The name of the mint is off flan, but most likely al-Qahira current day Cairo the capital of Egypt today and at the time of Salah al-Din.
Size and weight: This is a dinar, weighs ~4.4 grams and is slightly off-round measuring ~18.5 mm by ~19.5 mm.
References: It is Album #785.1 with a rarity index R, is similar to Balog's #14, and is listed as Wilkes 889.
Condition: I would grade this coin as a good fine. Its calligraphy is a bot difficult to discern and to read, but is all there. The coin is missing the mint name and part of the date. The coin has wear commensurate with its age and circulated status, a few minor scratches and bag marks. A definite nice coin of good quality. Please see the photos for additional condition information.
Historic Perspective: <p>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.
