Safavids, Muhammad Kudabandah, 1 Shahi - Yazd mint

[maudry]

This should be a Safavid coin.
1/2 Shahi.
But not really a clue to go further.
Size: 16-18mm
Weight:2.07gr

[saro]

This should be a Safavid coin.

Yes ! it's a shahi (not 1/2) of Muhammad Kudabandah struck at Yazd ("zarb Yazd at bottom).
a beautiful and scarce coin...

[maudry]

Thank you for that fast id.

[aws22]

Dear maudry, your coin details are as follows:
Safavids, Mohammad Kudabandah, 985 AH, Silver Shahi, Yazd mint (985-996 AH).
Obverse: Farsi legend reads:  غلام امام محمد مهدی علیه و آبابه السلام سلطان ابوالمظفر محمد پادشاه بن طهماسب الحسینی خلد الله ملکه, "Ghulam Imam Mohammad Mehdi alayhi wa ababihi al-Salam Sultan abu al-Muzaffar Muhammad badshah bin Tahmasp al-Hussaini Khalad Allah mulkahu", meaning, "the servant of Imam Mohammad Mehdi (peace be upon him and his fathers), Sultan abu al-Muzaffar Mohammad, the great king bin Tahmasp alhusseini, may God prolong his reign. Date and mint at the bottom "985 ۹۸۵ ", " Zarb Yazd ضرب یزد ".
Reverse: Shiite formula (Kalima) "لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله علی ولی الله", La illah l'Allah Muhammad rasul Allah, 'Ali wali Allah; the names of 12 Shiite Imams around in margin.


Maythem

[saro]

Wether it is Yazd or Ordu is a difficult question!... the "D" is clear... but I think ( and can be wrong...) that the letter before it could be the "B" of "zarb" and not a "R" ? and that the mint is well Yazd.
a double shahi of Yazd of Muhammad Khudabandah, proposed for sale by S.Album (item602) is of very similar type (dated 986 with the "6" re-engraved on a "5").
Maudry's coin could be dated 985 ? (the big dot after "D" is probably a digit "5"

[aws22]

Thank you Saro for the clarification, you are probably right but I was trying to see the coin from a different angle which make my prediction a pure guess. Attached is the way I saw the date " 986 ۹۸۶ " and the mint "Ordu اردو " which could be wrong, and the likely answer is Yazd 985 AH.

Maythem

[saro]

Dear Maythem, your transcription of the full legend is precious as it is rarely ( never..) given in the litterature; nevertheless, it seems to not refer to Tahmasp Shah,  Muhammad's father, and so is a little shorter.

" غلام امام محمد مهدی علیه و آبابه السلام سلطان ابوالظفر محمد بادشاه   " / "Ghulam Imam Mohammad Mehdi alayhi wa ababihi al-Salam sultan abu al-zafar Muhammad badshah " ("i" of Mehdi = separating line)

From available pictures of 2 shahi coins of the same type and if I'm not wrong, it appears that Muhammad  title is "abu al-zafar" instead of "abu al-muzaffar" (Victory instead of Victorious).

This 1shahi coin is definitively scarcer than the 2 shahi which is itself scarce...  Maudry !
to spice up a bit, there remains the question "Yazd" or "Ordu"? (I have a preference for Yazd  ...)

[maudry]

Thank you for all the comments on this coin.
Lokks like I managed to find a nice lot with some special coins.

[aws22]

Thank you Saro, well described. I have written the full legend which I expect to be continued around in the margin. As for the word abu-Muzaffar "أبو المظفر ", it is there and the letter " m م " is visible.
As for " Yazd یزد " I do agree with you, as it was shown on your overlay, and in that case the small circle to the left of Yazd may be considered as " 5 ۵ " and the date becomes " 985 ۹۸۵ ". I hope that finalizes this coin identification.

Maythem

[saro]

One detail more...
Like you Maythem, I thought it was "al-muzaffar", but as I said in my previous post, from other 2 shahi coins of the same type, I think that it's better "al-zafar"; on the 1 shahi posted by Maudry "bu" is stuck to "..Lzafar" and appears as "al-muzaffar".
It's more clear on the joined sketch (2 shahi of Nakhjavan); the two letters "A" of "abu" & al-zafar" are gathered at right

[aws22]

Thank you Saro, I am inclined to choose "Abu al-Muzaffar ابو المظفر" for this coin, it is quite clear in Arabic to see the letter "M م" is joined by the letters "L ل" and "Z ظ". May be in the 2 shahi of Nakhjavan it is "al-Zafar الظفر".
In Arabic the most common meaning of the word "al-Zafar الظفر" is fingernail; another meaning in Arabic is Victory or Success.

Maythem

[saro]

You are right, Maythem, the formula is always "abu al-muzaffar" ... and my conclusion is that is a calligraphic effect seen on all coins of this type, that consists in using the same loop of the letters "u" and "m" for the two words.

[aws22]

Thank you Saro for the nice illustration.
This coin is a nice and scarce coin, this effort is worth it.
Thanks maudry for sharing this coin.

Maythem

[Figleaf]

Superb teamwork, gentlemen. A jewel of a thread. Thank you.

Peter

[saro]

Another  clear example of contraction of letters in the formula "abu al-muzaffar" ,  found on a mahmudi of Tahmasp Shah I.
In addition to a nice calligraphic effect it was an gain of place for the engraver who had to insert the dithyrambic titles of the ruler on a 19 or 20mm sized coin ...
I wonder if that has been previously noticed ?