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ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL COINS

NewEARLY ANCIENT GREEK SILVER COIN OF MILETOS

Miletos silver 1/12 Stater, 6th Century BC This ancient silver 1/12 Stater, or Di-obol of the ancient Greek city-state of Miletos (Miletus) dates from the 6th century BC.  It is probably the most affordable early ancient Greek silver coin available.  At the time, Miletos was one of the most important and prosperous Greek cities located on what is now the west coast of Turkey.  It was a center of philosophy and science and had a vast trading empire with some 90 colonies throughout the Greek world.  It was one of the first Greek cities to mint coinage.  Miletos is mentioned in the Bible (Acts 20:15–38, 2 Timothy 4:20)  One side of the coin depicts the head of a roaring lion while the other shows a star pattern.  The coins are about 9mm in diameter and are struck in good silver.  Being hand struck, every coin is different. The coin grades Fine, however is struck somewhat off center.   It is an attractive, affordable, ancient Greek coin.
Item MILETOS  MILETOS 1/12 STATER, 6th CENTURY BC, F-off center $39.95



WIDOW'S MITE FROM THE TIME OF CHRIST  

Typical ancient Judean Widow's MitesAncient Judean Widow's Mite mounted on descriptive card(reduced size image of card)
The story of the Widow's Mite can be found in the Bible in Mark 12:41-44.  For Jesus, the widow's small offering of her only two small coins was worth far more than the large contributions of the rich who gave only a small portion of what they had.  The mite, also known as the lepton, was the smallest denomination struck in ancient Judea.  It was a crudely made copper coin.  Most display an anchor on one side and a wheel on the other. The coin was first struck during the reign of Alexander Janeaus, and continued to be used during the time of Christ. The minters were paid by how many pieces they produced, not how well they produced them.  As a result the coins tend to be poorly struck and are off center, and every coin is different.  The coin comes mounted on a card that describes its historical significance.
Item MITE ANCIENT JUDEAN WIDOW'S MITE FROM TIME OF CHRIST F-VF-crudely struck $17.50

ANCIENT ROMAN COIN COMMEMORATES BATTLE OF PHILIPPI

Rome, Philippi, Battle of Philippi bronze coin AE19The Battle of Philippi was a major turning point in Ancient Roman history, in which the forces of Mark Antony Octavian (later known as Augustus) defeated forces of Julius Caesar's assassins, Brutus and Cassius, at Philippi in Macedonia in 42BC.  This coin was struck at the Roman colony of Philippi, near the site of the battle. The colony was formed by troops from both sides who settled there after the conflict. The coins picture winged Victory on one side and three Praetorian Standards on the other  The bronze coin is approximately 19mm in diameter.  It is a bit unclear when the coin was struck.  Some attribute it to Augustus, who won the battle and ruled Rome from 29BC to 14AD.  Others feel it was issued by Claudius in 42AD to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the battle and to honor the Praetorian Guards of his time, who helped assure his ascension as Emperor.   Either way it is a fascinating and important ancient Roman commemorative coin.
Item PHILIP PHILIPPI, BATTLE OF PHILIPPI BRONZE COIN, VG $49.50



SILVER DIRHAM OF THE UMAYYAD CALIPHATE  

Silver Dirham of Umayyad Caliph HishamIn the seventh century, AD, a new religion, Islam, was founded in Arabia.  Arab forces under the banner of Islam soon conquered what is now Iraq from the Sasanians.  After that their forces spread out, conquering the rest of the Sasanian Empire as well as Afghanistan and and North Africa.  At its height the Umayyad (Omayyad) Caliphate spread from Spain and southern France to northern India.  Though they initially copied the coins of the lands they conquered, the Umayyads soon established their own style of coins. This included a well made silver Dirham.  The design has no pictures, but features professions of the Islamic faith.  One side of the coin reads "There is no god except Allah alone. He has no partner."  On the other side it reads "Allah is One, Allah is the Eternal.  He begets not neither is He begotten".   This silver Dirham was minted in Wasit during the reign of Caliph Hisham.  Wasit was a city established by the Umayyads as the capital for the eastern provinces and was the principal eastern mint. It was located in what is now Iraq between between Basra and al-Kufa on the Tigris River.  It was a great commercial center and famous for boat building - until the river shifted, leaving it stranded in the middle of the desert.   The coin was struck during the reign of the Caliph Hisham, a competent and frugal administrator who reigned from 724 to 743 AD.  These attractive coins grade Very Fine, though may have a few spots.  They are dated the reignal year they were minted.
Item UMM-HISH UMAYYAD SILVER DIRHAM OF HISHAM 724-743AD VF-spots $27.50


COIN OF GHENGHIZ KHAN

Bronze Dirham of Ghenghiz Khan and successorsThis crude copper Dirham was issued in the name of “The Great Khan” for Ghenghiz Khan and his successors from the early to mid 13th century in Kashgar.   Kashgar, located in Singkiang Province, in western China, was a major city along the ancient Silk Road. The coin is weakly struck.
Item MONG-DIR GHENGHIZ KHAN DIRHAM, VG-CRUDE $39.50


JITAL OF KHWARIZM SHAH MUHAMMAD II

Khwarizm Shahs, Jital of Muhammad II 1200-1220ADAla ad-Din Muhammad II assumed the throne of the small central Asian province of Khwarizm the death of his father in 1200AD.  He soon vastly expanded his empire, conquering all of Persia, creating an empire that reached from the Aral and Caspian Seas to the Persian Gulf.  An attempt to conquer Baghdad met with disaster when his army was decimated by a blizzard in the Zagros Mountains.  Shortly thereafter Ghenghiz Khan sent his emissaries, who were badly mistreated by the governor of an eastern province.  Ghenghis was not happy and marched into the Khwarizm Empire with an army of 200,000 to retaliate.  Entire cities were sacked and destroyed, including Herat, Samarkand and Bukhara. Urganj, the capital, was completely wiped off the face of the earth.  Muhammad fled ahead of the advancing Mongol hoards, only to die of disease on an island in the Caspian Sea in 1220AD.  This heavily debased Jital of Ala ad-din Muhammad II has inscriptions on both sides and grades Good or better.
Item KHWZ KHWARIZM, MUHAMMAD II 1200-20AD JITAL Good $5.00

RARE SILVER COIN OF MANGUBARNI

Jital of Mangubarni 1221-1224ADJalal al-Din Mangubarni (Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu, Jalal-ud-din Mangubirni) achieved almost mythical proportions in his fight against Ghenghiz Khan.  He assumed command over the Khwarizm Empire in 1220AD, a kingdom in Afghanistan and Iran, after the Mongols executed his father, Muhammed II. He assembled an Afghan coalition that decisively defeated the Mongols under Ghenghiz Khan. However the coalition quickly collapsed in arguments over the division of the spoils.  The Mongols then went after him, forcing him to retreat to the Indus River.  Tradition has it that though he was outnumbered 50 to one,  he continued his fierce attacks against the Mongols.  Eventually the Mongols closed in, and only he and a few followers were able to escape across the river into India.  There he assembled a new army, which was financed by raids on the treasuries of nearby kingdoms.  This base silver Jital was minted by Mangubarni, probably in Nandana, while he was in India, between 1221 and 1224AD.  In 1224AD he and his army left India.  He gained control over parts of Iran, and the Mongols resume their pursuit of him.  He was pursued through Iran, Iraq, Georgia and into Turkey. In 1231 he was probably killed by Kurdish bandits who did not know who he was!  Coins of Mangubarni are rare, however we recently purchased a group so can offer them at a reasonable price - until we run out.  The coins grade Very Fine, though may have spots.
Item MANG SILVER JITAL OF MANGUBARNI, 1221-1224AD $9.50

COIN OF THE GOLDEN HORDE

Golden Horde coinThe Golden Horde were the successors of Ghenghiz Khan that ruled much of Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe from the mid-13th century until the early 15th century.  Following the Black Death in 1346 and internal fighting the horde declined and disintegrated.  Though the Horde may have been golden, these coins are crudely made, undated,  bronze Puls.
Item GH-1 GOLDEN HORDE BRONZE PUL 13th-15th century VG-crude $10.00



NewSILVER COIN OF THE CRUSADERS

13th century Crusader silver 1/2 Dirhams This crude silver 1/2 Dirham was struck by the Crusaders Kingdom of Acre (now the city Akko in Israel) during the 13th century.  At the time the Crusaders had lost Jerusalem and most of their other territory in the Holy Land.   In order to increase acceptance of the coins, the coins were struck in the name of Ayyubid ruler al-Nasir Yusuf II, though with blundered legends.   In 1291 Acre fell to the Muslims, forever ending the Crusader presence in the Holy Land.  The coin is approximately 12mm in diameter.  Being hand struck, every coin is different.
Item CRUSADE CRUSADER 1/2 DIRHAM, 13th CENTURY, ACRE MINT, G-VG-CRUDE $9.95



NewSILVER SCHILLING OF THE TEUTONIC ORDER

Teutonic Knights silver Schilling The Teutonic Knights were founded in the 12th century to care for injured German Crusaders in the Holy Land, however they soon converted to a military order. After the defeat of the Crusaders at Acre in 1291 they moved to Europe.  In the 13th century they began their conquest of Prussia, and in doing so exterminated much of the native population.   They developed the region by building castles and importing German peasants to settle the depopulated areas.  The Pope allowed the order to abandon its vow of poverty, so they began to engage in trading activities. They soon monopolized the lucrative Prussian grain trade.   The order continued to gain territory and power, controlling a vast swath of Baltic lands from Prussia to Estonia.  After suffering attacks by the Order, Poland and Lithuania joined forces in 1410 and defeated the Knights, halting their expansion.  Over the next few centuries the Knight’s power and territory gradually dwindled.  Today it has returned to its roots as a hospital order.  This silver Schilling of the Teutonic Order was minted during the early 15th century. The coin features a shield with a cross on one side, and a shield with an eagle on the other.  The coin grades Fine, however may be weakly struck in some area and may have a few spots.
Item TEUTON TEUTONIC ORDER SILVER SCHILLING 15th Century Fine $49.50

ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL COIN SPECIAL

A group of three different identified ancient and medieval coins, including at least one silver coin.   The coins are primarily from India and the Middle East. This grouping has been one of my best sellers for over 30 years!    Each coin will be identified in its own envelope.  Coins grade Good to Very Fine.
Item 3A&M 3 IDENTIFIED ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL COINS INCLUDING SILVER $9.75

ALSO SEE:

Click HereANCIENT SILVER PORTRAIT DRACHM FROM INDIA
 Click HereTHE STRANGE MEDIEVAL MONKEY DIRHAM OF YEMEN
  

Click HereANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL COINS OF AFGHANISTAN
Click HereANCIENT AND MEDIVAL COINS OF IRAQ
Click HereANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL COINS OF INDIA and PAKISTAN
MEDIEVAL COINS OF THE MIDDLE EAST
ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL CHINESE COINS


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Joel Anderson
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