Public Numismatic Auction #8

Sulayman, AH 96-99 (715-717). Dinar globulaire bilingue AH 98 (716-17), Ifriqiya (Afrique du Nord). Inscription arabe sur deux lignes, entourée d'une légende circulaire latine / Inscription arabe sur deux lignes, entourée d'une légende circulaire latine. 4,15g. A 121M ; Bernardi 34Ca. Rare. Très beau.
A rare bilingual coin with the Arabic inscription "La Ilah i/la Allah" on the obverse and "Mohammed r./sul Allah" on the reverse. The Latin legend on the obverse gives the mint name and the date ("Sol fer in Afr. An XCVIII"), while that on the reverse is a translation of the first part of the Kalima ("Non est deus nisi Deus Ipse"). This translation demonstrates attempts by the first Muslim leaders to communicate in regions where they had to govern but where Arabic was not yet spoken.