ISLAMIC, Persia (Post-Mongol). Timurids. Sultan Husayn, third reign, AH 873-911 / AD 1469-1506. Ashrafi (Gold, 24 mm, 4.78 g, 9 h), donative type, Herat, AH 910 = AD 1504/5. in inner field, 'No God but Allah, Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah'; around in cartouches, the names of the four Rashidun Khalifa with their epithets: 'Abu Bakr al-sadiq ('the faithful'), Umar al-faruq ('the one who distinguishes between truth and falsehood'), Uthman al-affan ('the one who avoids sin'), Ali al-murtada ('the chosen one'); all in Kufic. Rev. in inner field, the name of the mint; around, 'the great Sultan, Abu’l-Ghazi Husayn Sultan the Brave, may Allah preserve and bless his sovereignty and sultanate'; all in Kufic. Album A2431. Numismatica Genevensis 8 (2014), 293 (same dies). Of the highest rarity, apparently the fourth known example of this prestigious issue. A magnificent piece of great calligraphic beauty. Good extremely fine.


This extremely rare Ashrafi was probably issued as a presentation gift for high dignitaries. It was struck solely in the mint of Herat, the native city of Sultan Husayn, who was a descendant of both Timur the Lame as well as Genghis Khan. Husayn was a successful and capable ruler with a deep interest in fine arts, which is clearly expressed in the production of this magnificent issue.