★ Extremely rare ★

ISLAMIC, Mongols. Ilkhanids. Arghun, AH 683-690 / AD 1284-1291. Dirham (Silver, 18 mm, 2.69 g, 10 h), pictorial type, Astarabad, date off flan. Shiʿa kalima in a central square, ‘lā ilāha illā Allāh / Muḥammad rasūl Allāh / ʿAlī walī Allāh’ (‘There is no deity but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. Ali is the friend of Allah’ in Arabic); mint and date formula around. Rev. Two hawks flying to right; ‘[A]rghūn’ (in Arabic) at the top; ‘Hakanu / Ariba / Argunun / Deledkeguluk / sen’ (‘Struck by Arghun, the vice-regal governor of the Khan’ in Uighur); to left, ‘Astarābād’ (in Arabic); all within a circle. Cf. Album 2149.2 (one hawk, citing both Arghun and Ghazan). Diler AR-173 (one hawk). Extremely rare. Struck slightly off center and with areas of weakness, otherwise, very fine.

From a North American collection.