The Great Seljuqs. Mu’izz al-din abu’l-Harith Sanjar b. Malikshah AH 511-552 (1118-1157 CE). AV Dinar AH 515 (1122 CE), Balkh. Honeycomb reverse, containing a minuscule inscription that includes the name and title of the Abbasid caliph al‑Mustarshid in 19 hexagons. 2,47g. Album 1687B.
About extremely fine and extremely rare.
From the auction NGSA 8 (24-25 November 2014), 284.
This extremely rare coin was struck in Umm al-Bilad (Mother of Cities - Balkh) in the name of Sanjar bin Malikshah, the last Great Saljuq ruler. The mint master chose to arrange the reverse legends in an original and interesting manner which reflected the religious and artistic achievements of the age. The field was inscribed in a honeycomb pattern with the Throne Verse - Ayat al-Kursi, v. II.255 in the name of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mustarshid billah AH 512-529 (1118-1135 CE). It is likely that the arrangement on this currency had a talismanic significance which led those who possessed it to believe that it gave them special protection; this is confirmed by the long marginal legend Nasr min Allah wafath qarib (the help of Allah is near) that was often used in time of danger. It is therefore possible that this coin was struck under difficult circumstances, making the quality of this specimen all the more remarkable.