al-Maghreb (North Africa). Zirids. al-Mu'izz ibn Badis, AH 406-454 / AD 1016-1062. Dinar (Gold, 23 mm, 4.32 g, 7 h), variant lacking ‘waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu’ in the obverse field, Madinat ‘Izz al-Islam al-Qayrawan (Kairouan), AH 445 = AD 1053/4. Central field, in three lines within two circles: lā ilāha illā Allāh / Muḥammad / rasūl Allāh (‘There is no god but God Muhammad is the Messenger of God’ in Arabic). Margin: yā ayyuhā al-nabī innā arsalnāka shāhidan wa-mubashshiran wa-nadhīran wa-dā‘iyan ilā Allāh (‘O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of glad tidings, a warner, and one who calls to God’ in Arabic). Rev. Central field, Qur’an 3:85 in three lines within two circles: wa-man yabtaghi ghayr / al-islām dīnan / fa-lan yuqbala minhu (‘Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him’ in Arabic). Margin: bism Allāh ḍuriba bi-madīnat ‘izz al-islām wa’l-Qayrawān sana khams wa-arba‘īn wa-arba‘miʾa (‘In the name of God, this dinar was struck in Madinat ‘Izz al-Islam wa’l-Qayrawan in the year four hundred and forty-five’ in Arabic). Album -, cf. 458 (legend variant). Extremely rare and well centered. Minor areas of weakness, flan faults and somewhat rough, otherwise, extremely fine.


The denomination is not explicitly stated in the legends. This anonymous Zirid issue is distinguished from contemporary Fatimid gold by the Qur’an 3:85 inscription in the reverse field. The absence of ‘waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu’ on the obverse represents an extremely rare legend variant, recorded on only a handful of the known specimens.