ISLAMIC, Anatolia & al-Jazira (Post-Seljuk). Begtimurids. Sayf al-Din Begtimur, AH 579-589 / AD 1183-1193. Dirham (Bronze, 28 mm, 8.52 g, 12 h), uncertain mint (Ahlat?). Cow standing to left, head lowered to right, suckling calf; around, legend in Kufic. Rev. Legend in Kufic in two lines in center; around, Legend in Kufic. Album 1889. An historically important example. Traces of overstriking and with light deposits, otherwise, good very fine.



This coin was overstruck on a dirham of the Artuqid ruler Qutb al-Din Il-Ghazi II (AH 572–580 / AD 1176–1184), with significant portions of the undertype still visible - for example, the draped Byzantine-style bust with curly hair, representing the face of the sun, on the left side of the reverse.