ISLAMIC, Umayyad Caliphate. temp. 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, AH 65-86 / AD 685-705. Fals (Bronze, 15 mm, 3.93 g, 3 h), 'Standing Caliph' type, uncertain mint, probably in Jund Qinnasrin, AH 74-80 / AD 693/4-699/700. Caliph standing facing, bearded, placing his right hand on the pommel of his sword; around, blundered version of the usual 'J li' abd allah' abd al-malik amir al-mu'minin' ('for the servant of God, Abd al-Malik, Commander of the Faithful' in Kufic).
Rev. Transformed cross standing on three steps; in left field, unreadable mint name; in right field, single letter wāw; around, blundered part of the first Kalima reading 'la ilaha illa allah wahdahu muhammad rasul allah' ('There is no God but God alone; Muhammad is the Prophet of God'). Album -. DOCAB -. Goodwin, Standing Caliph Coinage, uncertain mint, Type 423 (same dies). An extremely rare issue. Very fine.
From a collection of Arab-Byzantine and Crusader coins, formed in the 1990s.