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Dirham 'Ornamental type' - anepigraphic Bulghar mint
| Issuer | Golden Horde |
|---|---|
| Year | 1280-1310 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field bearing a Mongol tamga (dynastic emblem) enclosed within a decorative square frame composed of double ruled lines, the whole surrounded by a border of pellets. The tamga device, rendered in relief, is of characteristic Golden Horde form with a circular upper element above a bifurcated lower element. The composition is entirely anepigraphic, with no inscriptions or legends present on this face. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | ND (1280-1310) |
| Additional information |
The "ornamental" or anepigraphic dirhams of the Bulghar mint represent one of the more puzzling episodes in Golden Horde numismatics — coins struck without legible inscriptions at a time when Islamic monetary convention demanded the shahada and the ruler's name. Whether this reflects a deliberate local practice, a breakdown in administrative oversight, or production for a non-Muslim population in the Volga-Bulgar region remains debated. Bulghar itself was the northernmost significant Islamic city of the medieval world, and its mint operated with considerable autonomy from the main Sarai administration.