Three of the very earliest Islamic gold coins ever issued will be offered on sale by London auctioneer Morton & Eden. In conjunction with Sotheby’s, the auction titled “Coins of the Islamic World” is scheduled for April 22nd. A rare dinar gold coins from the early Islamic world could fetch as much as £1 million ($1.58 million). The coin comes from a European collection and for the first time has been offered at auction. It is dated 89h (708 AD), during the Umayyad (second) Islamic caliphate, and it thought to be the first coin produced from gold from the “Mine of the Commander of the Faithful.”
According to the press release, the “Mine of the Commander of the Faithful” is a site called Ma`din Bani Sulaim, located north-west of Mecca. Records from the period suggest that Caliph al-Walid (86-96h) may have purchased the mine right around the time that the dinar was made.
The upcoming auction comprises 134 lots carefully chosen for their rarity, historical importance and aesthetic qualities. Together they cover much of the history of Islam from antiquity to the early 20th century. The rare coins of the Umayyad, Abbasid, Spanish Umayyad, Fatimid, Mamluk and Ottoman dynasties, including unique and unpublished pieces, as well as other rarities from other dynasties will be offered on sale.
