The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 21, May 27, 2007, Article 17

CUTEST COIN NOMINATION: CROUCHING HARE WITH FLOWER

Philip Mernick writes: "The front cover picture (a hare) on the
latest Morton & Eden catalogue (Ancient, Islamic etc. to be held
on June 14) might promote some discussion by E-Sylum readers under
an enquiry like Cutest coin? (I am not sure if "cute' has exactly
the same meaning in English English & American English). The Morton
& Eden web site doesn't have the front cover but does show the image
I am thinking about under lot 210, page 23 of on line catalogue.
It doesn't have quite the same impact as the large image on the
printed cover but is still 'cute'."

[The 80-page catalogue takes a while to download. The description
of lot 210 is partially quoted below.  It sure is a cute bunny rabbit.
I don't recall ever seeing this coin pictured before. -Editor]

"Abbasid, al-Mu`tazz, donative dirham, obv., in centre, within border,
a stylized bird walking left, with bulbous body, short beak and long
crest; in margin, al-Mu`tazz billah / amir al-mu`minin / a`azzahu billah,
rev., in centre, within border, a hare crouching left with flower in its
mouth; in margin, sanat arba` / wa khamsin / wa mi`atain, 3.53g (Ilisch
-), remains of mount in margin on both sides, otherwise good very
fine, toned and of the highest rarity, apparently unpublished '15,000-
20,000 See also front cover illustration.

"This remarkable piece appears to be the only known donative for
al-Mu`tazz. While representations of living things on Islamic gold and
silver coins are exceptional, the depictions of both the bird and hare
are paralleled in other media, notably ceramics and metalwork. Similar
depictions of hares are also found on a series of undated donative
issues of al-Muqtadir (Ilisch B II 1-3)."

To view the complete catalogue, see: complete catalogue

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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