Safavids, Shah Abbas I, AV 1/2 mithqal /ashrafi, Qazvin mint (99)5 AH

[maudry]

This should be a 1/2 Mithqal from Abbas I.
Nice little gold coin.
Size: 14mm
Weight: 2.30gr

[aws22]

Dear maudry, very nice gold coin with the following details:
Safavids, Shah Abbas I, AH 998?, AV 1/2 mithqal/ashrafi, Qazvin mint (AH 995-1038/1588-1629 AD)
Metal Gold
Obverse: " بنده شاه ولایت عباس " , "banda walayat Shah Abbas", meaning, "Servant of the King of the Welayat Abbas", mint at the bottom " Qazvin قزوین  ". Judging by the weight of the coin 2.300 gm, it was struck during the early years of Abbas's reign, my guess would be " 998 ۹۹۸ " with the digit " 8 ۸ " visible at 8 O'clock.
Reverse: Shiite formula (Kalima) " لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله علی ولی الله ", La illah l'Allah Muhammad Rasul Allah, 'Ali wali Allah, surrounded by the names of the 12 Shiite Imams.

Maythem

[saro]

Superb coin    Not the same category as civic coppers! I suppose that it   have not often rub these low value copper coins into the owner's purse...
If I am right, at Shah Abbas time, this half ashrafi was worth one thousand 5 dinars coppers : 15 to 19kg !

[maudry]

Thank you for this complete identification.

Superb coin    Not the same category as civic coppers! I suppose that it   have not often rub these low value copper coins into the owner's purse...
If I am right, at Shah Abbas time, this half ashrafi was worth one thousand 5 dinars coppers : 15 to 19kg !

Would be happy to change it against these 5 dinars coppers - even at a lower rate 

[saro]

digit " 8 ۸ " visible at 8 O'clock.

I am looking in vain for this last digit ...

[aws22]

Thank you Saro, please see attachment, I am not sure about whether this is a digit 8 or not, it was only a guess. All I am sure of is that this gold coin was struck in the early years of Abbas's reign from the weight value. Later the weight of 1/2 mithqal/ashrafi became 1.900 gm.

Maythem

[saro]

Yes Maythem : this 1/2 ashrafi has been struck in early years of the reign, but for me, the right part of what looks like a digit (7 ?) belongs to one of the eight crescents which make the foliated central cartouche.

[aws22]

Thank you Saro, yes you could be right, on similar gold coins, the date is below the word " Abbas عباس " or sometimes below the mint place.

Maythem

[saro]

Attentively looking at this coin, I tried to transcript the visible parts of the legend around the central wavy cartouche with the Shah's name, and noticed a the curious word at 7 o'clock which doesn't belong to the shah's title...I think that it could be the last wanted digit of the date : a "5" placed within the word "zarb".
If it is correct, this coin could have been struck at the very beginning of the reign of Shah Abbas in 995 AH.
The enthronment of Shah Abbas as Shah of Iran is usually considered as 996 AH, but in fact the actual event took place at the very close of the previous year, in 995 (cf. Catalogue of Coins of the Shahs of Iran / British Museum)
Other coins of Shah Abbas I dated 995 are known.

[aws22]

Thank you Saro, great finding. I agree with the date 995 AH since the digit " 5 ۵ " is in the expected position.

Maythem

[saro]

   thank you Maythem !