FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board
Numismatic and History Discussion Forums => Medieval, Islamic and Crusader Coins Discussion Forum => Topic started by: dpaul7 on August 13, 2007, 07:31:52 pm
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Hello!
I bought the coin shown below - from a great and reliable dealer! :)
But I am not sure I understand the attribution ???
"Khwarezm Shahs, 'Ala al-Din Muhammad, AD 1200-1220, Billon fiduciary Dirham (4.28gm, 23mm), Rajput horseman type. Tye 240.5; Album 1739."
ZENO shows this type of coin as a Jital. Is that a fuduciary dirham???? The coin appears to be bronze... maybe a bit of silver?? I sort of understand Rajput Horseman - but would liuke to know more about this.
Where was the coin made? I cannot find a listing matching my coin - but I maybe don't know where to look! :-[
I really like this coin! And the dealer who sold it!
dpaul7
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dpaul7,
I looked up Tye 240.5 in my Tye's Jitals. First, yours does match exactly the pictured Tye 240.5 in the book. It is from the mint at Qunduz. In short, here is Tye's explanation, on page 68, about this issue -
"The broad fabric and new weight standard of the late Qunduz coins 240 & 243 represent the most complex single transformation seen in the whole jital series. The coins are closely linked to the most important jital currencies of the time by their designs, but they are not jitals at all by their weight or shape, which derive from a completely different Central Asian coinage tradition. ... That issue, called the 'ghidrifi', was likewise a base billion 4.0 to 4.5 gram coin. The historian Narshakhi clearly indicated that the ghidrifi was a fiduciary coin..."
I hope that was helpful. But it may have just raised more questions.
The reverse Tye gives as:
as-sultan al-a/'zam 'Ala/ud-duniya wa ud-din
Which probably roughly translates as something like "The great Sultan Ala-ud-din" But I'm not sure about the correct form of the name and what the rest may mean. Maybe someone else can correct me.
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Tantalus,
Many thanks for your explanation! It has been a grear help!
dpaul7