Catalog
⅙ 'Sudaysi' Dirham - al-Nasir Ahmad bin Yahya
| Issuer | Rassid dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 914-937 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Sudaysi (7⁄60) |
| 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 |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Central field contains multiple horizontal lines of Arabic Kufic script arranged in concentric registers, typical of early Islamic epigraphic coinage. The inscription is surrounded by a circular marginal legend in Arabic script running along the inner border. An outer beaded or rope border frames the entire design. The flan is irregular and slightly clipped, characteristic of hammered silver fractional dirhams of the Rassid period. No figural imagery is present; the design is entirely calligraphic in the Abbasid tradition. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Arabic |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The Rassid imamate under al-Nasir Ahmad bin Yahya consolidated Zaydi Shi'a authority in the Yemeni highlands during a period of sustained pressure from Abbasid-aligned forces in the lowlands. The fractional dirham — the sudaysi representing one-sixth — served the practical demands of a highland economy where small transactions in silver were routine and full dirhams were rarely seen in daily exchange.
At 0.25 g, striking these pieces consistently required exceptional die control, and surviving examples frequently show double-striking or off-center placement.