Samanid Coins - Arabic Coins

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Arabic Coins

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Samanid Coins

Some coins from the Samanid Empire

The Samanid Empire or Samanid Emirate was a Sunni Islamic kingdom which lasted from AD 819 to 999. Its territory included Afghanistan and Persia. Its capital was Samarkand and then Bukhara.

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Some verses from the Quran are frequently used on Islamic coins. A Quran Surah is a chapter.

The coin dates are in Islamic lunar years which start from AD 622 and are 355 days long. They are abbreviated "AH" and the formula for converting an AH year to an AD year is (AH Year)*0.97 + 622.

The mintage year of the coin is spelled out, for example, year 186 is "six and eighty and one hundred." These spellings have been converted to numbers.

Nasr II: Life: AD 906-943 Reign: AD 914-943

1. Samanid Empire Dirham, Nasr II, Samarkand, AH 312 (AD 924)

Silver, 27 mm, 2.81 gm
Mint: Samarkand

Obverse:
Outer Margin: Quran Surah 30:4

Of Allah is the Command from before man and from after man, and on that day the believers shall rejoice in the victory of Allah.

Inner Margin: In the name of God, this dirham was minted in Samarkand in the year 312 Field: Second Kalima, first part (three lines)

There is no god but Allah, He is One and has no partner

Reverse:
Outer Margin: Quran Surah 9:33

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, who sent him with guidance and the religion of truth
that he might make it supreme over all religions although the polytheists disliked it.

Field: Six lines:
To Allah (one line)
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (three lines)
Nasr bin Ahmed (one line)
Symbol at bottom (one line)

Samanid Dinar Nasr II al-Muhammadiya 322

2. Samanid Empire Dinar, Nasr II, al-Muhammadiya, AH 322 (AD 933)

Gold, 28 mm, 3.93 gm
Mint: al-Muhammadiya, Album A-1449

Obverse:
Outer Margin: Quran Surah 30:4

Of Allah is the Command from before man and from after man, and on that day the believers
shall rejoice in the victory of Allah.

Inner Margin: In the name of God, this dinar was minted in al-Muhammadiya in 322 Field: Second Kalima, first part (three lines)

There is no god but Allah, He is One and has no partner

Reverse:
Outer Margin: Quran Surah 9:33

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, who sent him with guidance and the religion of truth
that he might make it supreme over all religions although the polytheists disliked it.

Field: Four lines:
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (two lines)
al-Qahir (Abbasid Caliph, one line, named here as Nasr's superior)
Nasr bin Ahmed (one line)

The mint Al-Muhammadiya was located in Rayy in Persia which is now part of Tehran in Iran.

Nuh II: Life: AD 963-997 Reign: AD 976-997

3. Samanid Empire Multiple Dirham, Nuh II, Kurat, No date

Silver, 44 mm, 11.17 gm
Mint: Kurat (located near Fayzabad, Badakhshan province, in northeast Afghanistan)

Obverse:
Outer Margin: (top) ayyar (warrior) (bottom) jayyid (good)
Middle Margin: Quran Surah 30:4

Of Allah is the Command from before man and from after man, and on that day the believers
shall rejoice in the victory of Allah.

Inner Margin: In the name of God, this dirham was minted in Kurat Field: Second Kalima, first part (three lines)

There is no god but Allah, He is One and has no partner

Reverse:
Outer Margin: (top) three dots (bottom) one dot
Inner Margin: Quran Surah 9:33

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, who sent him with guidance and the religion of truth
that he might make it supreme over all religions although the polytheists disliked it.

Field: Four lines
Allah / Muhammad / Messenger of Allah (three lines)
Nuh son of Mansur

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