Numismatic Auction #19

ARAB-BYZANTINE: Standing Emperor, ca. 660s, AE square fals (5.01g), NM, A-3523A, Foss-31, muhammad left of standing figure / cross above and ba'd below cursive m, nice strike, without any weakness, VF, RRR. Foss has suggested a date range of 647-658 but in my opinion, the 660s seem the most likely. In any case, this would be the earliest Islamic coin to bear the name Muhammad in Arabic, which first appears on silver drachms in AH66 (type A-20 of 'Abd al-Malik b. 'Abd Allah, struck in Bishapur, AH66 = AD 685/686). This is most attractive example of this rare type we have seen.