Umayyad Caliphate. temp. Suleiman ibn 'Abd al-Malik, AH 96-99 / AD 715-717. Dirham (Silver, 28 mm, 2.93 g, 9 h), Ardashir Khurra, AH 97 = 715/6. 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-Ardashīr Khurra sanat sabʿ wa-tisʿīn (‘In the name of God, this dirham was struck in Ardashīr Khurra in the year ninety-seven’ 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. Album 131. Klat 40. Walker 263. A rare date-mint combination and beautifully toned. Some deposits, otherwise, very fine.


The mint of Ardashīr Khurra (modern Fīrūzābād in Fārs) was one of several Iranian provincial mints operating under the Umayyads after the monetary reform of ʿAbd al-Malik. Coins from this mint are encountered less frequently than those of major Syrian or Iraqi mints.