'Abbasid Caliphate. al-Rashid, AH 170-193 / AD 786-809. Dirham (Silver, 25 mm, 2.80 g, 12 h), with additional inner margin citing caliph Harun al-Rashid, Madinat al-Salam, AH 171 = AD 787/8. 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-Madīnat al-Salām sanat iḥdā wa sabʿīn wa miʾa (‘In the name of God, this dirham was struck in Madinat al-Salam in the year one hundred and seventy-one’ in Arabic); around, six circular ornaments containing pellets. Rev. Central field, in four lines: Muḥammad / rasūl / Allāh / ʿ (‘Muḥammad / Messenger / of God’ in Arabic) and the letter ayn(?). Inner margin: mimmā amara bihī ʿabd Allāh Hārūn amīr al-muʾminīn (‘Ordered by the servant of God Hārūn, Commander of the Believers’ in Arabic). Outer 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). Album 219.6a. SICA III, 1655. Extremely rare and beautifully toned. Some areas of weakness and minor marks, otherwise, good very fine.


The additional reverse inner marginal inscription naming Hārūn al-Rashīd as amīr al-muʾminīn is a highly unusual feature within the Abbasid silver series. Such supplementary marginal legends are encountered only on a limited number of issues.