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Sallarids. Wahsudan b. Muhammad. Circa AH 330-355 / AD 942-966. AV Double Dinar (20mm, 9.06 g, 10h). Jalalabad mint. Dated AH 343 (AD 954/5). Obverse margin: Muhammad - ‘Ali - al-Hasan - al-Husayn - ‘Ali - Muhammad - Ja‘far - Isma‘il - Muhammad (the names of the Prophet and the Seven Isma‘ili Imams), Obverse field: la ilaha illa / Allah Muhammad / rasul Allah / Reverse margin: mint and date, Reverse field: ‘Ali khalifat / Allah (with isolated letters 'ayn, ba and kaf above) / Wahsudan bin / Muhammad; to right and left: Sayf - Al Muhammad. Cf. CNG Islamic Auction 5 (18 April 2024), lot 169; cf. Vardanyan 149 (a dirham with similar legends, as Sallarid); Album K1488 (as Kangarid, and so similarly described on the NGC label). In NGC encapsulation 8451769-002, graded AU 55. Extremely rare.
This impressive and extremely rare coin bears the names of the Seven Isma‘ili Imams alongside that of the Prophet himself. Isma‘ilism became embedded in the region of Daylam during the 4/10th century, and contemporary written sources tell us much of the Isma‘ili beliefs of the Sallarid ruler, al-Marzuban b. Muhammad (circa AH 330-346). It is notable that the final name in the list of imams is that of Muhammad b. Isma‘il, and that there is no mention of the contemporary Fatimid caliph, al-Mu‘izz.
Vardanyan only knew of silver examples of this type, which he assigned to the Sallarid ruler Wahsudan b. Muhammad. Album classifies them as ‘Kangarid’, but the Encyclopedia Iranica states that the dynasty founded by Sallar b. Aswar was known variously as the Sallarids, Musafarids (after Sallar’s Arabic name of Muhammad b. Musafir), and Langarids/Kangarids (Felix, Wolfgang & Madelung, Wilferd. ‘DEYLAMITES.’ Encyclopaedia Iranica, published December 15, 1995). Thus it seems that ‘Kangarid’ is simply another name for the Sallarid dynasty.
The location of Jalalabad remains unidentified. The name is probably to be intepreted as meaning ‘City of Glory’ and may well be an honorific title rather than a place-name. Shamiran, a mountain fortress to the north of Qazwin, was the Sallarid capital for a time, later taken over by the Nizaris of Alamut.
The final winners of all lots in Session One of CNG Islamic Auction 15 will be determined during the live sale held on 28 October 2026.
Session Two of CNG Islamic Auction 15, a timed online sale, will be held on Thursday, 29 October 2026, beginning at 2:00 PM GMT.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and in person at the public auction, 25% for all others.
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