Extremely al-Rayy Mint Tabaristan-Type Issue

CNG 109, Lot: 789. Estimate $2000. Sold for $3000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ISLAMIC, 'Abbasid Caliphate. temp. Al-Mahdi. AH 158-169 / AD 775-785. AR Hemidrachm (24mm, 1.99 g, 4h). Issue of Nusayr (or Sa‘d). al-Rayy mint. Dated PYE 133 = AH 168 (AD 784/5). Crowned Tabaristan-type bust right;GDH monogram and 'pzwt in Pahlavi to left; nsyl in Pahlavi to right; 'pd and nwk' in outer margin / Fire altar flanked by attendants; star and crescent flanking flames; b-al-rayy in Arabic (mint) to left; thaman wa sittin wa mi’a (date) in Arabic to right; alternating triple pellets and star-in-crescents in outer margin. Malek 212.1-3; SICA 1, 352; Album L73; ICV 108. EF, lightly toned. Extremely rare and excellent for issue.

Album notes that Nusayr has been tentatively identified as Nusayr al-Wasif, chief of intelligence under al-Mahdi.