Umayyad Caliphate. temp. al-Walid I ibn 'Abd al-Malik, AH 86-96 / AD 705-715. Dirham (Silver, 29 mm, 2.91 g, 6 h), Rayy, 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-al-Rayy sanat tisʿīn (‘In the name of God, this dirham was struck in al-Rayy in the year ninety’ in Arabic); within triple circular borders; around, five pellets and an additional circle. 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. ICV 268. Klat 399.b. Very rare, well struck on a broad flan, and with clear and complete inscriptions. Small areas of weakness, otherwise, extremely fine.


Dirhams of al-Rayy struck in the early post-reform period represent the eastern continuation of Umayyad monetary production following the reforms of ʿAbd al-Malik. The mint of al-Rayy was a major administrative and military center in Jibāl. Coins of this mint and period are less frequently encountered than those of the major Khurāsānian centers, contributing to their relative rarity.