Sulla80 Posted April 29, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted April 29, 2023 (edited) While there have been numerous threads with questions about coins needing ID, this thread offers a place for the mystery coin pile. Looking forward to seeing what surfaces. Here are three coins - one of which has so far eluded attribution. Share your "mystery coins" and any tricks for decoding them. I'll start with this coin that is no longer a mystery - zeno.ru is an amazing resource for coins like this - a search by weight and diameter - and an 5 minutes you have a pretty good attribution for this coin: Seljuq of Rum AE fals Kayka'us II AH 643-647 / AD 1245-1249 under Abbasid Caliph: al-Musta'sim billah (1242 -1258 CE). See: https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=85724 other examples here: https://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=20966&page=1. This coin is also in Album Checklist of Islamic Coins as 1225 AE fals, inscriptions only, in square on both sides . "Rum" is a corruption of Rome, derived from Ῥωμαῖοι (Rhomaioi), as the Seljuk's took possession of territory formerly held by the Byzantine or Roman empire. Kayka'us II was the eldest (11 year old) son of Kaykhusraw II when his father died in 1245 CE. This popular coin from the father, Kaykhusraw II. This next coin is little harder to attribute but zeno still succeeds with weight and diameter search and a few experiments with key words. Overstruck or double struck? this is pointing in the right direction: Zangid of Syria AE fals, al-Salih Isma'il, Halab, ND (576AH?) and this one....no idea....? Share your "mystery coins" and any tricks for decoding them. Edited April 29, 2023 by Sulla80 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AncientOne Posted April 29, 2023 · Member Share Posted April 29, 2023 I have these in my "uncertain" folder but I like Mystery better. Obv: Bust r. Rev: Griffin. Æ11, 0.5g. Lead 24mm. Uncertain Empress AE16 Obv: Empress facing r. Rev: Athena standing left, wearing Corinthian helm, holding transverse spear and resting hand on shield. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTcoins Posted April 29, 2023 · Member Share Posted April 29, 2023 (edited) The best trick, of course, for decoding Islamic coins is to learn at least a little numismatic Arabic. Looking at @Sulla80's mystery coin, I can see that the inscription on one side is the same as that of the first coin: al-sultan al-a'zam 'izz al-dunya wa al-din, differing only in line breaks. 'Izz al-Din is the title by which Kayka'us II is sometimes named on the coins. The other side, however, is something completely different... https://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=19318 Edited April 29, 2023 by DLTcoins 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted April 29, 2023 · Member Share Posted April 29, 2023 Good luck researching those coins 😏 1 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulla80 Posted April 30, 2023 · Supporter Author Share Posted April 30, 2023 7 hours ago, DLTcoins said: The best trick, of course, for decoding Islamic coins is to learn at least a little numismatic Arabic. Looking at @Sulla80's mystery coin, I can see that the inscription on one side is the same as that of the first coin: al-sultan al-a'zam 'izz al-dunya wa al-din, differing only in line breaks. 'Izz al-Din is the title by which Kayka'us II is sometimes named on the coins. The other side, however, is something completely different... https://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=19318 @DLTcoins Wow - thanks - as a measure of my very slowly decreasing Arabic illiteracy, I was not seeing any Arabic writing on the mystery coin - ...Thanks for the decode! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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