Great Mongols. temp. Ögedei. AH 624-639 / AD 1227-1241. AR Multiple Dirham (28.5mm, 16.12 g, 5h). Balad al-Kurraman mint. VF, edge split.

Islamic Auction 7 - Session One
Lot: 214. Estimated: $ 7 500

Post-Mongol Dynasties, Silver

Sold For $ 11 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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Great Mongols. temp. Ögedei. AH 624-639 / AD 1227-1241. AR Multiple Dirham (28.5mm, 16.12 g, 5h). Balad al-Kurraman mint. Fi al-balad al-Kurraman (’In the city of Kurraman’) in two lines, double linear border containing pellets around, har ki na sta- / nad gunahgar na / shad (‘Whosoever does not accept it will not be a sinner’) in three lines, double linear border containing pellets around, Zeno #285665 (this piece); cf CNG Triton auction XXIV, 19 January 2021, lot 1231. VF, edge split. Of the highest rarity, believed unique.

The city of Kurraman was situated in the Kurram Valley, through which the Kurram river flows on its way to joining the Indus. It appears to have been active as a mint during the first part of the 7/13th centuries, initially under the Khwarezmshahs and subsequently under the Great Mongols.

Kurraman itself was, nominally at least, under the rule of the Mongol Great Khans when this coin was struck. Remarkably for such an impressive object, however, the present coin bears the name of no political or religious authority, and is entirely anonymous. The obverse simply bears the phrase ‘In the city of Al-Kurraman,’ while the reverse carries the remarkable admonition that ‘Whosoever does not accept it will not be a sinner.’ The person who issued this coin seems to have decided that a simple proclamation that the citizens of Kurraman had to use it - or else - would be the most effective way to ensure its acceptance! Given that the coin itself is of good silver, we can only speculate as to why such compulsion may have been thought necessary.

Interestingly, however, we see a different approach used for the splendid silver 10-dirham coins struck at Kurraman in AH 641, which dutifully acknowledge the ‘Abbasid caliph al-Musta’sim, living thousands of miles away in Baghdad and completely devoid of any secular influence in the Kurram Valley whatsoever. Perhaps the tradition of coins being issued on the authority of someone was so deeply rooted that even the threatening legend on this coin could not overcome it.

Closing Date and Time: at 15:11:00 ET.

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