UMAYYAD OF SPAIN, ‘ABD AL-RAHMAN III (300-350h) Dinar, al-Andalus 324h Obverse: citing Muhammad below Weight: 4.10g Reference: cf CUS 200, for a coin with similar legends dated 321h Almost extremely fine and extremely rare. Ex Peus auction 415, 5 November 2015, lot 307. The presence of the name Muhammad below the obverse requires explanation, because all gold and silver coins known to Miles between 322-329h cite a different official named Sa‘id, while Muhammad is only named on coins date 320-321h, 330h, and 332-346h. One possibility, suggested by the Peus cataloguer, is that Muhammad and Sa‘id may have served jointly as mint-master and deputy, and that either might be named in a given year depending on circumstances. However, there is clear evidence of die rust on the obverse of this piece, and this obverse die was also used to strike dinars dated 321h (including the preceding lot). Thus it seems more likely that this coin is in fact a mule, where obsolete obverse die naming Muhammad was mistakenly used in conjunction with a current reverse die dated 324h.

Estimate: GBP 1500 - 2000