Ghorid, Taj al-Din Yildiz, Dinar
AH 609-612 (1213-15) - Unpublished - Gold
PLEASE NOTE: this collector's item is unique. We therefore cannot guarantee its availability over time and recommend that you do not delay too long in completing your purchase if you are interested.
Titles of the two sovereigns, exaltation formula, name and lineage of the issuer in four lines in the center, circular legend around.
Political and religious titles, names, lineage, and province in five lines in the center, circular legend around.
Album 1793 var. Unpublished and very interesting coin. This dinar struck under the governor Taj al-Din Yildiz testifies by his long titulature of the turmoil and complex History specific at the end of the Ghorid dynasty. After the defeat of the Ghorid Mu'izz al-din against the army of the Khwarazimshah sultan 'Ala al-Din Muhammad, the Ghorid empire falls appart. In Ghazna, the Turkish commander Taj al-Din Yildiz, supported by his troops seizes the power in AH602 (1206). The other part of the fallen empire is thus controlled by Ghyiath al-Din, who first legitimates the power of Taj al-Din, but then calls for sultan Muhammad to get rid of his rival occupying Ghazna. Rather than following this way, the Khwarazimshah sultan takes control of the lands of Ghyiath al-Din in AH609 (1213). Thus during a couple of years, until his own destitution, the governor Taj al-Din Yildiz has to recognize the legitimacy of the sultan 'Ala al-Din Muhammad, as this dinar testifies. Meanwhile, on this same coin, he carries on to mention his former masters - as he was one their main mamluk (slave) - the Ghorid sultans Mu'izz al-din and Muhammad b. Sam, to which he refers with the title "al-shahid" (the martyred). This dinar also shows at the end of the legend the sentence "balad bam". In regards with the situation of the remaining domains under Ghorid control, this word "bam" is unlikely refering to the city of Bamm located in the Kerman Province, but more likely to the Bamiyan city or Province, located north to the Province and city of Ghazna. Its mention on this coin would attest the fact that after Ghyiath al-Din deposition, Taj al-Din makes his own the neighbouring province of Bamiyan with the consent of the sultan 'Ala al-Din Muhammad.
al-Nasir li-din Allah / amir al-mu'minin al-sultan / al-a'zam 'Ala al-dunya wa’l / din Muhammad bin al-Sultan
al-Sultan al-Shahid / Mu'izz al-din wa'l din Muhammad / bin Sam 'abduhu al-malik al-mu‘azzam / Taj al-din wa'l din / balad bam
3.86 gr
Gold
Although nowadays gold enjoys a reputation as the king of precious metals, that was not always the case. For example, in Ancient Greece, Corinthian bronze was widely considered to be superior. However, over the course of time, it has established itself as the prince of money, even though it frequently vies with silver for the top spot as the standard.
Nevertheless, there are other metals which appear to be even more precious than this duo, take for example rhodium and platinum. That is certain. Yet, if the ore is not as available, how can money be produced in sufficient quantities? It is therefore a matter of striking a subtle balance between rarity and availability.
But it gets better: gold is not only virtually unreactive, whatever the storage conditions (and trouser pockets are hardly the most precious of storage cases), but also malleable (coins and engravers appreciate that).
It thus represents the ideal mix for striking coins without delay – and we were not going to let it slip away!
The chemical symbol for gold is Au, which derives from its Latin name aurum. Its origins are probably extraterrestrial, effectively stardust released following a violent collision between two neutron stars. Not merely precious, but equally poetic…
The first gold coins were minted by the kings of Lydia, probably between the 8th and 6th century BC. Whereas nowadays the only gold coins minted are investment coins (bullion coins) or part of limited-edition series aimed at collectors, that was not always the case. And gold circulated extensively from hand to hand and from era to era, from the ancient gold deposits of the River Pactolus to the early years of the 20th century.
As a precious metal, in the same way as silver, gold is used for minting coins with intrinsic value, which is to say the value of which is constituted by the metal from which they are made. Even so, nowadays, the value to the collector frequently far exceeds that of the metal itself...
It should be noted that gold, which is naturally very malleable, is frequently supplemented with small amounts of other metals to render it harder.
The millesimal fineness (or alloy) of a coin indicates the exact proportion (in parts per thousand) of gold included in the composition. We thus speak, for example, of 999‰ gold or 999 parts of gold per 1 part of other metals. This measure is important for investment coins such as bullion. In France, it was expressed in carats until 1995.
An “AU(50-53)” quality
As in numismatics, it is important that the state of conservation of an item be carefully evaluated before it is offered to a discerning collector with a keen eye.
This initially obscure acronym comprising two words describing the state of conservation is explained clearly here:
About Uncirculated(50-53)
This means – more prosaically – that the coin has circulated well from hand to hand and pocket to pocket but the impact on its wear remains limited: the coins displays sharp detailing and little sign of being circulated. The number (50-53) indicates that at least half of the original luster remains. Closer examination with the naked eye reveals minor scratches or nicks.
You might be wondering why there are different ranges of numbers behind the same abbreviation. Well, we’ll explain:
The numbers are subdivisions within a category, showing that the state of conversation is the same but coins may be at the higher or lower end of the scale. In the case of AU, the range (55-58) indicates that the luster is better preserved in than a similar coin described as (50-53).
