ISLAMIC, Persia (Pre-Seljuq). Qara Khitai. temp. Yelü Dashi, AH 518-537 / AD 1124-1143. Dirham (Bronze, 21 mm, 4.06 g, 12 h), probably Krasnaya Rechka, AH [53]1 = AD 1136/7. ‘lā ilāha illā / Allāh waḥdahū / lā sharīka lahū’ (‘There is no deity but Allah, the One, there is no partner to Him’ in Arabic); date formula in the margin, of which only ‘iḥdā’ (‘1’ in Arabic) is legible. Rev. Citing Saʿid, possibly the Muslim name of Yelü Dashi, and the ʿAbbasid caliph al-Muqtafi billah (AH 530-555 / AD 1136-1160) within a circle, ‘Saʿīd / Muḥammad / rasūl Allāh / al-Muqtafī bi-llāh’ (‘Saʿid. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. al-Muqtafi billah’ in Arabic). Album 3491. Very rare. Patina stripped and with minor corrosion, otherwise, fine.