Public Numismatic Auction #8

AN UNPUBLISHED SILVER DRACHM OF THE BEGINNINGS OF ISLAMIC COINAGE. Al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf, AH 75-95 (694-713). Drachme AH 82 (701), Bishapur. Buste sassanide couronné d'un casque ailé à droite. Inscription marginale "Bism Allah Rabi" en écriture coufique, accompagnée du nom "Saeed" en pahlavi / Autel zororastrien entre deux servants tenant chacun une épée. 3,45g. A - (cf. 35.3); Shams Eshragh -. Très rare. Très bel exemplaire.
An extremely rare drachm, apparently unpublished, issued by the governor al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf. Between AH 80 and 84, the rebel governor 'Abd al-Rahman b. Muhammad had coins struck in the region. Album states that no coins were struck by al-Hajjaj after AH 81, but Shams Eshragh has published a drachm dated AH 83. This coin, dated AH 82, shows that al-Hajjaj did retain some hold over Bishapur. This is even more remarkable given that al-Hajjaj had supported the monetary reforms of the caliph Abd al-Malik and the introduction of Islamic-inspired dirhams. The name "Saeed" in the border is also interesting. It could refer to one of al-Hajjaj's lieutenants, who was responsible for this issue.