26 Centuries of Gold
959 Samanid Abd al Malik I

Owner Comments:

Samanid. 'Abd al-Malik I (AH 348-350 / AD 954-961) gold Dinar AH 348 (AD 959/960) MS63 NGC, Amul mint, A-1460. 3.38gm.

They considered themselves to be descendants of the Sasanian Empire. In a famous edict, Samanid authorities declared that "here, in this region, the language is Persian, and the kings of this realm are Persian kings."

Abd al Malik I was amir of the Samanid Empire from 954 to 961. He was the son and successor of Nuh I (r. 943–954). His reign was marked by internal strife, with the Turkic slave-soldiers (ghulam) increasing in power. He died after falling from his horse during a game of polo at Bukhara; he was succeeded by his brother Mansur I, who was put on the throne by a faction of ghulams led by the Turkic slave-commander Fa'iq Khassa.

There are 39 of these graded by NGC at this time in all conditions. It seems likely many were discovered together or sold together recently in the fall of 2022.