Cairo Egypt Gold Islamic Coin Ayyubid Dinar Salah al-Din ibn Ayyub 587AH -1191AD
Description: A good very fine or better 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 Abu al-'Abbas al-Nasir L'Din Allah as the Abbasid Caliph at the time. The date of minting, 587 AH, is very clear and legible on the reverse. The name of the mint is also very legible and is al-Qahira (current day Cairo the capital of Egypt). Please carefully review the photos presented as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: The coin shows the mint date as 587AH or 1191AD.
Mint: 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 ~3.35 grams and is ~20 mm in diameter.
References: It is Album #785.2 with a rarity rating of S, is listed in Balog's Book on Ayyubid Coins as #47, and is listed as Wilkes 890. The coin is listed in Lane Poole's Catalog of the Collection of Arabic Coins Preserved in the Khedivial Library in Cairo as number 1328.
Condition: I would grade this coin as a good very fine or better. This coin is much better than the photos show with very well defined and legible calligraphy. The coin has wear commensurate with its age and circulated status, a few minor scratches and bag marks. A definite quality coin. Please see the photos for additional condition information.
Historic Perspective: 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.
