Lot 243 UMAYYAD: al-Walid I, 705-715, AR dirham (2.90g), Maysan, AH90, A-128, Klat-—, superb strike, choice Extremely Fine to About Uncirculated, RRRR, ex. Robert Pelletreau collection. This is first reported dirham of Maysan dated AH90. Estimate $20,000-30,000

Lot 565 MIRDASID: Asad al-Dawla Salih, 1023-1029, AV dinar (4.15g), Halab, AH417, A-N766, Nicol-—, citing the Fatimid caliph al-Zahir, nice strike, probably unique, Very Fine, RRRR, ex. Robert Pelletreau collection. The obverse is similar to Nicol-1393 (his type H6a), also dated AH417, but without the word madina before the mint name Halab and with the word mufakhkhamuha instead of muqarruha in the middle text. The reverse is also similar to Nicol-1393, without the last four word of al-mu'minin in the inner text, but also without Allah in the center. The obverse refers to the ruler as al-amir asad al-dawla abu 'ali salih bin mirdas, with the last word scrunched together, as the engraver failed to leave enough space for the full word. The reverse cites the Fatimid caliph and the heir to the Mirdasid throne, as al-amir abu 'ulwan thamal bin asad al-dawla. Estimate $16,000-20,000

Lot 328 UMAYYAD: Hisham, 724-743, AV dinar (4.24g), NM (Damascus), AH107, A-136, choice Very Fine, RRR, ex. Robert Pelletreau collection. One sold at Islamic Coin Auction 18, lot 216, July 2011, not quite as nice as this one, for $19.540, and a second, slightly better grade, at Stack's auction 163, lot 798, January 2012, for $17,000 (both without buyer's fee). Estimate $15,000-20,000

Lot 482 CÓRDOBA: Anonymous, ca. 1148-1149, AV dinar (4.10g), Madinat Qurtuba (Córdoba), AH542, A-C407, H-446, issued under the authority of Yahya b. Ghaniya, superb strike, choice Extremely Fine to About Uncirculated, RRR. Inscribed Allahumma urhum umara' al-muslimin bani tashufin, "O God, have mercy on the commanders of the Muslims, sons of Tashufin." Estimate $11,000-15,000

Lot 757 GREAT MONGOLS: Chingiz Khan, 1206-1227, AV dinar (3.21g), NM, ND, A-1964A, also citing the Khwarizmshah ruler, 'Ala al-Din Muhammad (b. Takash, 1200-1220), three small holes, unpublished & unique, Very Fine, RRRR. Obverse field: khan al-a'zam / wa'l-khaqan al-mu'azzam / chingiz al-khan, with possible short text in fourth line. Reverse field: al-sulta(n) al-mu'azzam / 'ala al-dunya wa'l-d- / -in abu'l-fath / (mu)hammad bin …. The marginal legends are off flan on both sides, as is almost normal at this period. Genghis Khan (Chingiz Khan) originally sent a mercantile group to the Khwarizmshah territory, to establish a trade relationship between the Mongols, by then in control of most of Xinjiang, and the Khwarizmshahs, along the northern route of the Silk Road. The Khwarizmian officials unfortunately assassinated the mercantile representatives, with great outrage to the Mongols. Genghis Khan then prepared for invasion of the Khwarizmshah's lands, with the understandable intent to defeat the Khwarizmshahs and either capture or execute 'Ala al-Din and his sons. It can be argued that the recognition of Chingiz Khan by 'Ala al-Din Muhammad was undertaken in order to dispell the possibility of a Mongol invasion of his territories, or that Chingiz Khan or his officials ordered that their first coins should continue to cite 'Ala al-Din Muhammad on the coinage in hope that he would surrender to subordination under the Mongols. I am inclined to prefer the second explanation, for in following decades, the Mongols made similar arrangements with local dynasties, such as the Qutlughkhanids, Salghurids, etc., in southern Iran, and the Bagratid kings of Georgia. Estimate $7,000-10,000

Lot 1343 TRAVANCORE: Rama Varma IV, 1860-1880, AV 2 pagodas, 1877, Y-27, minor surface hairlines, NGC graded Uncirculated details, RRR. Estimate $5,000-5,500

Lot 507 MERINID: Abu Sa'id 'Uthman III, 1398-1420, AV dinar (4.64g), Madinat Azzamur, ND, A-545, H-—, wonderful strike for this type, apparently unpublished, attractive Extremely Fine, RRR. No full dinars of Azzamur for this reign have been published. A group of about a dozen ½ dinars and a few ¼ dinars of this ruler struck at Azzamur were discovered in the 1990s. The hoard was acquired by the University of Tübingen. There were no full dinars of any mint in that hoard. This is also the last reign during which a mint operated at Azzamur. Estimate $4,200-5,000

Lot 483 NASRID OF GRANADA: Muhammad IX, four reigns between 1419 and 1453, AV dinar (4.62g), Gharnata (Granada), ND, A-412, Rod-Lor-20, pentagram mark at left top corner of the reverse field, Extremely Fine, RR. Estimate $4,200-5,000

Lot 349 UMAYYAD: Marwan II, 744-750, AR dirham (2.82g), Ifriqiya, AH128, A-142, Klat-110, eight-point star below the obverse field, choice Very Fine, RRR. After AH120, Umayyad dirhams of Ifriqiya are known dated 124, 125, and all years 128-132, all of them extremely rare. The last year that is reasonably common is AH118, with 119 very rare and 120 extremely rare. It is believed that taxation funding from North African ceased to reach the Umayyad centers, such as Damascus and Basra. As a result, the post-120 dates are only found in hoards from North African and Spain, whereas pre-119 dirhams are often found as frequently in eastern hoards as western hoards. The year 128 is the only Ifriqiya date that bears a star beneath the obverse field. Estimate $4,000-5,000

Lot 1685 RUSSIA (Principality of Kiev): Vladimir Svjatoslavovich, 978-1015, debased AR srebrenik (2.06g), Kiev, ND, Sodnikova, subtype 17, nimbate facing bust of Christ, holding the Gospels / Vladimir entrhoned, holding cross-sceptre, with royal symbol of Rurick in right field, Cyrillic text around, partly chipped (as usual), strong Very Fine, RRR, Zeno-25072 (this piece). This is the first type of Russian coins ever struck, almost never available unchipped. Estimate $3,500-4,500

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