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Dirham 'Ornamental type' - anepigraphic Bulghar mint
| Issuer | Golden Horde |
|---|---|
| Year | 1280-1310 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Dirham / Dang / Yarmag (0.7) |
| 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 | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Three annulets arranged in a trefoil grouping occupy the central field, enclosed within a prominent ogival or pointed triangular border composed of raised lines. The triangular border itself is flanked on its outer edges by rows of raised pellets (annulets), forming an elaborate decorative frame. Additional pellets are scattered in the outer field beyond the triangular border. The design is entirely anepigraphic and purely ornamental, characteristic of the so-called 'Ornamental type' dirhams attributed to the Bulghar mint of the Golden Horde. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | ND (1280-1310) |
| Additional information |
The so-called "ornamental" or anepigraphic dirhams of the Bulghar mint occupy an awkward place in Golden Horde numismatics precisely because they carry no legible inscription — no ruler name, no mint formula, no date. Whether this reflects a deliberate administrative decision, a breakdown in die-cutting standards at the Bulghar workshop, or coins struck for a specific local purpose remains disputed. Sagdeeva's classification treats them as a distinct functional group rather than degraded copies of epigraphic types.
Bulghar on the Volga was the dominant commercial hub of the western steppe before Sarai eclipsed it, and its mint output served fur-trade routes running deep into the forest zone where literacy in Arabic script was irrelevant to exchange.