Umayyad Caliphate. temp. al-Walid I ibn 'Abd al-Malik, AH 86-96 / AD 705-715. Dirham (Silver, 27 mm, 2.75 g, 1 h), Darabjird, AH 90 = AD 708/9. Central field, in three lines: lā ilāha illā / Allāh waḥdahū / lā sharīka lahū (‘There is no deity but God alone; He has no associate’ in Arabic). Margin: bi-sm Allāh ḍuriba hādhā al-dirham bi-Dārābjird sanat tisʿīn (‘In the name of God, this dirham was struck in Dārābjird in the year ninety’ in Arabic); within triple circular borders; around, five pellets. Rev. Central field, in four lines (Qurʾān 112:1-4): Allāh aḥad Allāh / al-ṣamad lam yalid wa / lam yūlad wa-lam yakun / lahu kufuwan aḥad (‘God is One, God the Eternal Refuge; He begets not, nor is He begotten; and there is none comparable to Him’ in Arabic). Margin (Qurʾān 9:33): Muḥammad rasūl Allāh arsalahu bi-l-hudā wa-dīn al-ḥaqq li-yuẓhirahu ʿalā al-dīn kullihi wa-law kariha al-mushrikūn (‘Muḥammad is the Messenger of God, whom He sent with guidance and the religion of truth that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, even though the polytheists may dislike it’ in Arabic); within circular borders; around, five pellets and an additional circle. Album 128. Klat 291. SICA II, 559. A very rare combination of mint and date. Minor marks, deposits and light doubling, otherwise, very fine.


The mint of Dārābjird (modern Dārāb in Fārs) was one of the important provincial mints of southern Iran during the early Umayyad period. Although Umayyad dirhams from this mint are known, dated specimens of AH 90 are comparatively rare, making this issue a notable early example of the reformed epigraphic coinage introduced under ʿAbd al-Malik.

Coins from Iranian provincial mints such as Dārābjird illustrate the rapid spread of the standardized Islamic monetary system across the former Sasanian territories during the early eighth century.