| The Coin Cabinet > World Coin Auction 12 | Auction date: 6 November 2025 |
| Lot number: 348 Price realized: 500 GBP (Approx. 652 USD / 568 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: XF-AU | ISLAMIC. NAJJAHID. al-Mu'ayyad Najjah, AH 412 - 452 (AD 1021-1060). Gold Dinar, AH 437 (or 439). Zabid. Obv: لا إله إلا الله (La ilaha illa Allah, translates to 'there is no God but Allah'); Ù...ØÙ...د رسول الله (Muhammad rasul Allah, translates to 'Muhammad is the messenger of Allah') With his full name al-mu'ayyad najjah followed by the title nasr al-din. The obverse of this coin features the Kalimah Ṭayyibah, the Islamic declaration of faith, inscribed in Arabic Kufic script. The coin originates from the Najjahid dynasty, a Sunni Islamic dynasty that ruled parts of medieval Yemen, particularly the coastal city of Zabid, between the 11th and 12th centuries CE. The dynasty was founded by al-Muʾayyad Najjah, a former Abyssinian (Zanj) slave who had served the declining Ziyadid dynasty. Following the death of the last Ziyadid ruler, Najjah seized control of Zabid and established an independent state. Al-Muʾayyad Najjah was a mamluk, a term in Arabic meaning "owned," commonly used for military slaves. He should not be confused with the later Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt and Syria, though both shared a similar system in which enslaved men, often of foreign origin, were trained in military arts and Islamic scholarship. Najjah rose through the ranks by merit and leadership, ultimately becoming ruler. This is an early example of a military slave founding a sovereign Islamic state. This model would later be echoed on a larger scale by the Mamluk Sultanate centuries later. This coin is exceptionally rare and holds great historical significance. Most Islamic dynasties with mamluk or non-royal origins were led by individuals of Turkic, Central Asian, or Caucasian descent. The Najjahids, however, are among the very few known dynasties of African origin to have ruled independently in the Islamic world. Their African roots are not incidental as large numbers of East African slaves, many from the Zanj coast, had been brought to Yemen and southern Arabia as part of the Indian Ocean slave trade. This coin, therefore, not only represents a piece of Islamic numismatic heritage but also serves as a tangible link to the African presence and agency within the Islamic world, a narrative often underrepresented in mainstream history. . Extremely Rare (RRR). XF-AU. Reference: A-1073 Diameter: 24 mm. Weight: 2.42 g. Composition: Gold. PLEASE NOTE: Raw coins sold as seen. A 22.50% buyer's premium will be charged separately. VAT on the buyer's premium may apply in accordance with UK regulations. Payment can be made in EUR, CHF, or USD for an exchange fee. Please contact us to find out more. Starting price: 1 GBP |  |
