Beautiful 782 AD Gold Islamic Coin Abbasid Dinar Caliph Al-Mahdi 165 AH VF++
Description: Gold Dinar from Al-Mahdi, who ruled the Muslim empire in the period 158-169 AH (775-785 AD). Al-Mahdi is the third caliph of the Abbasid dynasty. His full name being Abu Abdul Allah Muhammed al-Mahdi. This is a gold dinar, which weighs ~4.2 grams and is ~19 mm in diameter. The coin shows the date of minting as 165 AH and does not show a mint name. The obverse of the coin has the words "La Illaha ell Allah, Wahduh la Sharik Lah" in the center and the verse "Muhammad rasul Allah, arsaluh bil huda wa din al haq liazharuh ala din kulh" along the edge. The reverse shows the date of minting in a circle along the edge and has the words "Muhammad Rasul Allah" in the center. This a beautiful very fine or better coin worthy of a spot in your collection. Please note the coin is better than the photos suggest with very well defined and legible calligraphy. A definite quality coin. Please carefully review the images presented as they part and parcel of our description.
Date: 165 AH or 782 AD.
Mint: Unknown, which is the norm with these early Abbasid dinars.
Size and Weight: This is a gold dinar weighing ~4.2 grams and it is ~19 mm in diameter.
References: It is Album #214, is listed in Al'Ush Catalog of Islamic coins preserved in the national museum of Qatar as #1066-1068, and is listed in Lane Poole's Catalogue of Islamic Coins Preserved in the Khedivial Collection in Cairo Egypt as #244.
Condition: I would grade this coin as a good very fine or better. It is beautiful with nice clean reflective fields and beautiful calligraphy. The coin has a well centered strike with well-defined and legible calligraphy and is definitely a quality coin worthy of a spot in your collection. It shows some wear and some surface markings. The calligraphy along the edge of the obverse is a bit difficult to discern, but is still readable. Be that as it may, the coin still retains some luster and has nice eye appeal. Please see photos for additional condition information.
Historic Perspective: Abbasid is an Arabic ruling dynasty, originally based in Madinat al-Salam (current day Baghdad) that expanded the Muslim empire and lasted from 750 Ad to 1258 AD. It was named for al-Abbas (566?-652), paternal uncle of the prophet Muhammad. ). Al-Safah leaded the revolt against the Umayyad established and became the first Abbasid Caliph upon the overthrow of the Umayyad caliph in 132 AH / 749 AD. During the first century of the Abbasid rule the empire experienced a time of unprecedented cultural, artistic and economic development, particularly during the reigns of Harun al-Rashid (786-809) and his son al-Ma’mun (813-833).
