Coins of Medieval Asia

Valence is a town in Southern France, not far from Grenoble, it is dominated by the ancient cathedral of Saint Apollinaire which was consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1095 and completed in the early 12th century. Valence had been ruled by the Bishops from around the 4th-Century, these silver deniers were issued under their authority and were widely used by the early Crusaders to fund the religious wars in the Holy Land. The obverse shows a stylised angel with spread wings resembling an eagle with the legend around VRBS VALENTIAI (Ville de Valence). The reverse shows a cross with an annulet in one quarter with the legend S APOLLINARS (Saint Apollinaire).

On 6 January 1198, the Armenian Kingdom was formed when the then Prince Levon (The Lion) II was crowned as King Levon I, King of Cilician Armenia. He became known as ‘Levon the Magnificent’ due to his numerous contributions to political, military, and economic influence. His growing power made him a particularly important ally for the neighbouring crusader state of Antioch. The coinage of King Levon I set the standard for that of following Cilician rulers, comprising coins struck in silver, copper, and bronze and the odd, very rare, gold issue. On these silver Trams he is shown seated facing on an ornamented throne, holding a cross and fleur-de-lis with the legend ‘Levon King of the Armenians’ around. The reverse depicts a pair of lions standing back to back flanking a tall cross with the legend ‘By the Will of God’ in Armenian around. These are nice grade silver coins available in Extremely Fine condition, and are now over 800 years old, from a once-influential but now long-forgotten kingdom.

Born in 630 A.D., Constans II became the Byzantine Emperor at the tender age of 11, reigning from 641 to 668 A.D. Despite his youth, he confronted a myriad of challenges, including conflicts with the Arab Caliphate and internal strife within the empire. In an endeavour to evade persistent threats from the Arab Caliphate, Constans II made the significant decision to relocate the capital from Constantinople to Syracuse. Notable for his initiatives to fortify the Byzantine military and his contributions to architecture, Constans II’s reign came to a tragic end in 668 A.D. when he was assassinated during a rebellion orchestrated by his chamberlain. We are offering these 40 Nummi struck in Constantinople on irregular shaped flans showing a beardless Constans on the obverse and a large M on the reverse, all have a sandy/earth patina, and they come in VG-Fine grade and are very reasonably priced.

We have available a number of these small copper follis coins issued under the rule of Tancred, an Italian born nobleman who took part in the First Crusade. After the crusade he became Prince of Galilee and Regent of the Principality of Antioch from 1100 until his death in 1112. The coins themselves date from between 1104 until 1112. On the obverse is a bust of St Peter holding a cross with the Greek inscription “God help your servant Tancred” on the reverse. They are crudely struck but grade Fine.

The Jalayirid Sultanate was a dynasty that ruled over Iraq and western Persia after the breakup of the Mongol khanate of Persia in the 1330s and which lasted about fifty years. The Jalayirid dynasty takes its name from Jalayir, the name of a Mongolian tribe from which it was descended. These silver dinars were struck in Baghdad in the name of Shaykh Hasan, the founder of the dynasty, between 1335-1356 AD. The beautiful calligraphy is typical of the period displaying Kufic-style script in a square on the obverse. Now over 650 years old and offered in About Very Fine condition and very affordable at this price but limited availability. This is the first time we have offered these coins.

The Qarlughids (or Karluk Turks) were a tribe founded by Hasan the father and Nasir the son who wandered out of Afghanistan and took over Sind in Pakistan. They established a short-lived but prosperous Muslim principality and dynasty that lasted between 1224 and 1266. The coins on off er are small copper Jitals issued by Nasir Al-Din Muhammad (1249-59). Jitals are a category of every-day coin in silver, billon and copper minted between 750 and 1250 AD in the area which is now East-Afghanistan, Pakistan and North-West India. The coin shows an outline of a horse on the obverse with an Arabic legend around and on the reverse is a Nagari inscription. Over 750 years old and off ered in at least Good Very Fine condition.