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Author Topic: Unknown Islamic from Armenia  (Read 1500 times)

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Offline lv88

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Unknown Islamic from Armenia
« on: May 20, 2006, 03:07:38 pm »
Hello All,

This coin was purchased in Yerevan. Seems like 15-17th centuries from style. 17-22mm. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,
Levon


Offline Istinpolin

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Re: Unknown Islamic from Armenia
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2006, 06:07:56 pm »
I think this one is more like 12th or 13th century, Levon, and is of Seljuq style. But it may also be Candar. I will have to look at some book before answering this.

Best
Burak

Manzikert

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Re: Unknown Islamic from Armenia
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2006, 06:55:38 pm »
Hi Levon, Burak

I think this is Mamluk, probably al-Salih Salah al Din Hajji II, first reign (783-784 H/ 1381-3 AD), Balog 516

Unfortunately my Balog is a photocopy, and the illustration is not too clear, but everything I see on Levon's coin seems to fit with Balog's illustration. Also, the inscription on the reverse fits well with Hajji II's gold as illustrated in Balog and in the BMC (Vol. IV, 616), though the arrangement of the kalima on the obverse differs.

Best wishes

Alan

Offline lv88

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Re: Unknown Islamic from Armenia
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2006, 11:10:57 am »
Comments from ICG:

The 2nd and 3rd lines on obverse appear to read
"al-sultan al-malik salah al-dunya wa" similar to
Balog 516 (Hajji II, 1st reign), including the two
ornaments (like twin lam-alif ribbons) above "salah".
Balog gives the top line as "al-ashraf" but your coin
reads differently. However, Balog states that dirhams
of this reign are "very scarce and difficult to read".
The legends he gives are "reconstructed" and he
suggests there is but one variety for this reign,
minted at Halab. There are also other Mamluk rulers
named "Salah al-Din", so I would say Hajji II is
likely but not 100% certain.


and

Yes, probably it belongs to Hajji first reign issued at Halab, Cf. Balog 516

Offline lv88

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Re: Unknown Islamic from Armenia
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2006, 11:19:14 am »
Thanks  for ID Alan.

I did not even think to look Mamluk, because Mamluk coinage never penetrated into North-Eastern Armenia. No significant hoard finds of these are recorded. Rather Cilician Armenian coins go the other way! International trade proves me wrong.  :) It is said there were other similiar coins offered with this, so maybe some Mamluk hoard is being broken up there. So I assume mint is Haleb(Aleppo), as stated, and these are pretty common?


Sincerely,
Levon

Offline Istinpolin

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Re: Unknown Islamic from Armenia
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2006, 02:13:50 pm »
Hi Levon

I think this could rather be Eretna or Aydin (maybe even Candar) imitation of a Mamluk Dirhem (Seljuq style), or official mint and citing Hajji II as the ruler of al-dünya (the world) and whoever minted this coin is a Vassal state of the Mamluks. It could also be an Armenian imitation of some sort. But this is not an official Mamluk coin.

Best wishes,
Burak


 

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