thin coin believed silver and Afghan

[jkk]

This is also from a large collection gathered in Afghanistan. The symbol on one side seems to confirm Afghan origin. 4.56g, 24.6mm; very thin, 1.23mm. The Kalima is obvious enough on one side. Any idea what it is?

[Manzikert]

Timurid, Hosein Baiqara, 1469-1506 (873-911 H), tanka, Herat mint. These are often dated, but at lower left on the obverse which is not visible on your coin. This type was struck c.1490-1506.

Alan

[Figleaf]

That would be MWI 965 or 966. You have an incredible memory, Manzikert.

Peter

[jkk]

Thanks, Alan. Can you recommend good reading on Timurid coinage, in print or online? (I read French and Spanish, if it matters.) Is MWI within reason to seek acquiring?

[Figleaf]

MWI (and its companion volume MACW) is expensive, incomplete and not up to date. I hesitated before I splurged on it. However, now, I am quite happy with it. I believe it to be the only illustrated (contrary to Album's check list) global overview of coinage with Arabic script. At this time, it's your best chance of finding a coin with Arabic characters quickly and once you have a general idea of where to look, Zeno will give you more up-to-date information. That's all very personal, so your experience may vary.

Peter

[aws22]

Dear jkk, the legend on both sides as follows, the date is not visible:
Timurid, Sultan Husayn Bayqara, Silver Tanka, Herat Mint (873-911 AH/1469-1506 AD)
Obverse: Center circle " به بود هراة ", bih bud Herat, meaning "prosperity (referring to the coin) Herat".
Margin reads: Al-Sultan Al-Azam Abu'l Ghazi Sultan Husayn bahadur khalad Allah Ta'ala  mulkahu wa sultanahu Sanat (year?).
السلطان الاعظم  ابو الغازي سلطان حسين  بهادر خلد الله تعالى ملكه  و سلطانه / سنة
Reverse: Kalima in a shape of square and the names of 4 orthodox caliphs with their titles around in margin:
(  أَبا بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ \ عُمَرُ الْفَارُوق \ عُثْمَانُ ذُو النُّورَيْنِ \ عَلِيٌّ الْمُرْتَضَى )

Maythem

[jkk]

Maythem, much appreciated. I feel a lot better knowing I did not simply miss the date. Seems logical that the missing year comes after Sanat.

Peter, I did some digging through the forum resources and did not find a reference for MWI. If I knew what that stood for, though, I could seek it out on my own--same for MACW.

[Figleaf]

Sorry, here goes:

MWI = Mitchiner, Michael, World of Islam, ISBN 0904173151
MACW = Mitchiner, Michael, the Ancient and Classical World, ISBN 090417316X

Peter

[jkk]

Sorry, here goes:

MWI = Mitchiner, Michael, World of Islam, ISBN 0904173151
MACW = Mitchiner, Michael, the Ancient and Classical World, ISBN 090417316X

I came, I saw, I gulped at the prices.

[Figleaf]

Don't worry, the J. Willard Marriott Library in Salt Lake City has a copy

Peter

[jkk]

Heh. A bit of a drive from Portland, Oregon to northern Utah, and not sure the SLC folks would let me take out a library card not residing there. I did check my local library system and no luck, so I just issued a request to borrow from the ANA library. They were great on Tye (which then of course naturally great piles of life intervened, and by the time I shoveled out, their copy was back and I had my own Tye arrival from the author himself).

[Manzikert]

jkk, if you need anything looking up in Mitchiner I have the set, acquired back in the 1970s and 80s so therefore much more reasonably priced

Peter, I am very lucky that my memory is very visual, so I just checked my database for Timurids and scrolled through. Luckily I have half a dozen of these from Herat and Asterabad, four of which have legible dates incuding a rare reduced or half tanka of 906 H from Herat, 2.23 gm, 21 mm, below.

Alan

[aws22]

Thank you Alan for showing the second coin, the date " 906 ۹۰۶ " and the text are clear. The word " Sanat سنة " is there at the extreme bottom. Another difference is the expression " خلد الله ملكه وسلطانه kahllad Allah mulkahu wa sultanahu ", in the first coin, it is " خلد الله تعالى ملكه وسلطانه khalad Allah Ta'ala  mulkahu wa sultanahu ". The word " تعالى Ta'ala " under the word " ملكه mulkahu " has been removed in the second coin. The meaning of the expression " الله تعالى " is "Almighty God".

Maythem

[Figleaf]

I would argue that the difference in text (thank you Maythem!) is enough to make them different types.

I'd love to have a look at your collection, Alan, and I don't think I'd be the only one.

Peter

[jkk]

jkk, if you need anything looking up in Mitchiner I have the set, acquired back in the 1970s and 80s so therefore much more reasonably priced

Very kind of you, and even when the ANA Library copy arrives, I'm pretty sure I won't fully understand how to look up everything. Much appreciated. Wish I'd picked up the set back then, but...well, those were my teens.