409, Lot: 785. Estimate $150. Sold for $280. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ISLAMIC, al-Andalus (Spain). Taifas Almohads (al-Gharb). Musa ibn Muhammad (ibn Mahfuz). AH 631-660 / AD 1234-1262. AR Dirham (15mm, 1.50 g, 12h). Labla (Niebla) mint. ND. Maghribi legend: Allah Rabbuna | Muhammad rasuluna | al-'Abbas | imamuna (Allah is our lord | Muhammad is our Prophet | al-'Abbas | is our imam) / Maghribi legend: Amir al-Gharb | al-Musta'in bi-Allah | Musa ibn Muhammad | ibn Nasr ibn Mahfuz (Commander of the West | al-Musta'in bi-Allah | Musa ibn Muhammad | ibn Nasr ibn Mahfuz). Gomez 208; Vives 2123; Album I410; ICV 629. Good VF, toned, light earthen deposits. Very rare.

From the BRN Collection.

In the aftermath of the disintegration of the Almohad empire, several small taifas were established. At the southern tip of Portugal, the taifa of al-Gharb (mod. Algarve) was established, based at the town of Niebla (in modern Spain). Musa ibn Muhammad (ibn Mahfuz) was the sole ruler of this territory, perhaps as a vassal of a neighboring Christian kingdom.