ISLAMIC, Syria & al-Jazira (Pre-Seljuq). Hamdanids. Nasir al-Dawla (Abu Muhammad al-Hasan) and Sayf al-Dawla (Abu'l Hasan 'Ali), conjointly, AH 330-356 / AD 942-967. Dirham (Silver, 26 mm, 3.95 g, 3 h), Mint off flan, AH 335 = 946/7. ‘lā ilāha illā / Allāh waḥdahū / lā sharīka lahū / Sayf al-Dawla / Abu’l-Hasan’ (‘There is no deity but Allah, the One, there is no partner to Him. Sayf al-Dawla Abu’l-Hasan’ in Arabic); in the inner margin, ‘bism Allāh ḍuriba hādhā … khamsa wa thalāthīn wa thalātha miʾa’ (‘In the name of Allah. This [dirham] was struck … 335’ in Arabic); in the outer margin, traces of ‘li-llāh al-amr min qabl wa min baʿd wa yawmaʾidhin yafraḥu al-muʾminūn bi naṣr Allāh’ (‘To Allah belongs the command before and after, and on that day the believers will rejoice with the help of Allah’ in Arabic; Qurʾān 30: 4-5). Rev. Citing the ʿAbbasid caliph al-Mutiʿ lillah (AH 334-363 / AD 946-974), ‘li-llāh / Muḥammad rasūl Allāh / ṣalla Allāh ʿalayh wa ʿalā ālihī / al-Muṭīʿ lillāh / Nāṣir al-Dawla / Abū Muḥammad’ (‘To Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. May Allah bless him and his household. al-Mutiʿ lillah. Nasir al-Dawla Abu Muhammad’ in Arabic); in the margin, traces of ‘Muḥammad rasūl Allāh arsalahū bi al-hudā wa dīn al-ḥaqq liyuẓhirahū ʿalā 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). Album 748. Zeno-68680. Rare. Struck somewhat off center and with some scratches, otherwise, nearly very fine.