ISLAMIC, Fatimids. al-'Aziz billah, AH 365-386 / AD 975-996. 1/2 Dirham (Silver, 19 mm, 1.17 g), bull’s-eye type, al-Mansuriya, AH 374(?) = 984/5. Two concentric circles of inscription with a relatively broad empty band between, and a pellet in the center; inner inscription, ‘lā ilāha illā Allāh Muḥammad rasūl Allāh ʿAlī khayr ṣafwat Allāh’ (‘There is no deity but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. Ali is the best of the elect of Allah’ in Arabic); outer inscription, traces of ‘Muḥammad rasūl Allāh arsalahū bi al-hudā wa dīn al-ḥaqq liyuẓhirahū ʿal[ā al-dīn kullih wa law] kariha al-mushrikūn’ (‘Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. He sent him with guidance and the religion of truth, so that He may make it overcome all religions, even though the unbelievers may dislike it’ in Arabic). Rev. Two concentric circles of inscription with a relatively broad empty band between, and a pellet in the center; inner inscription, ‘ʿabd Allāh Nizār al-imām al-ʿAzīz billāh amīr al-muʾminīn’ (‘The servant of Allah Nizar Imam al-ʿAziz billah, Commander of the Believers’ in Arabic); outer inscription, partly illegible mint and date formula. Album 705. Rare without ‘wa waliyyuhū’ (‘and His friend’) after ‘ʿabd Allāh’ (‘The servant of Allah’) in the reverse inner inscription. Areas of weakness and with minor doubling and some deposits, otherwise, good very fine.

A rare example without ‘wa waliyyuhū’ (‘and His friend’) after ‘ʿabd Allāh’ (‘The servant of Allah’) in the reverse inner inscription.