Sami Fortune Collection

Highlights from treasures of the History of Money and other special objects

[datucoins-blog]

Fanham of Tipu Sultan (1786A.D), The Fortune Collection One of the finest tiniest Islamic coins ever made… This coin known as a Fanam was minted during the reign of Tipu Sultan it is dated to 1786A.D and minted at Tipu Sultan’s capital of Seringapatam in Mysore S.India. it was minted in the last years before the state’s conquest by the colonial British East India company…… I continue to be Fascinated by the tragic tale of Tipu sultan last independent ruler of Mysore in Southern India. Known as the Tiger of Mysore after surviving a near fatal tiger attack (it was said he killed it with a dagger and his bare hands), He was also a pioneer of early rocket technology in the 1780s and was an ally of France in the continental wars in India. He was even in contact with Napoleon for much of his rule. Interestingly enough Napoleon tried to meet up with him and that’s what lead to the conquest of Egypt. In India Tipu so hated the policies of the East India company in India that he had a model made of a tiger eating an English company soldier. It had a handle and when turned you could hear the roars of the lion and the cries of the soldier. (the model is now in the V&A museum). Eventually he lost the war in India his Capitol was besieged and he was killed during the attack on the city. His palace was looted and even the beams ended up as curios and as board games for curious Georgian and Victorian tourists. The Duke of Wellington the man who defeated him in 1799 would 15yrs later defeat his ally Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo in 1815….. #Tipu #tipusultan #seringapatam #coin #tiny #gold #Islamic #islamichistory #thefortunecollection #Mysore #tiger #history #coin #numismatics #India #colonial #fanam #Napoleon #1799

#1799

#coins

#Islamic

#history

#islamicworld

#islamichistory

#India

#Tipu

#tiny

#gold

#Seringapatam

#Napoleon

#samifortune

#thefortunecollection

#Mysore

#Tipusultan

[datucoins-blog]

Another treasure from the collection...this unusual 25 B.C Iceni silver coin from England East Anglia dates from the early Roman Briton period. It was stuck a mere few decades before the famous revolt of Queen Boudicca in 60 A.D against the oppressive Roman occupation. After her inheritance was confiscated, her daughters attacked and herself publicly whipped, Boudicca unleashed the rage of the Iceni and Triovantes tribes burning down Colchester, London and St Albans. She was said to have ridden a scythed chariot into a battle. She annihilated the mysterious IX legion with its converted golden eagle which was to completely disappear somewhere in Scotland 100yrs later, before being defeated at the battle of Wattling street in 61A.D by the last Roman army reserves under general Paulinius. One legend has it that the battle took place on the outskirts of London at a place called battle bridge...today's Kings Cross! Boudicca either died in battle or poisoned herself. The cavalry and chariots of the Iceni were famous and many of their coins bare this beautiful Celtic stylised horse... #boudicca #celtic #coin #britain #silver #numismatics #TheFortuneCollection #Ancient #ancientroman #revolt #rebellion

[datucoins-blog]

This silver Himyerite coin was minted in Southern Arabic in Arabia Felix (Southern Saudi and ancient Yemen between 50A.D and 100A.D it is attributed to one of several kings all called Karib'il Watar Yehun'im at their capital Raidan. Notice the fascinating S.Arabian script with the unusual fusion of Greek and Semitic culture... notice as well the wreath of flowers worn as a crown by the king. This influence can still be seen today by the 'flower people,' of Southern Arabia who wear flowers in their hair to perfume themselves and to adorn their heads with colour....The kings who minted these coins ruled shortly after Rome sent general Alius Gallus who set out from Alexandria with two legions to conquer Southern Arabia and control the lucrative frankincense trade. The Southern Arabian kingdoms were some of the richest in the ancient world because of their control and tax of the trade coming from Southern Oman. The invasion failed dramatically after several spectacular sieges, when the army was according to Strabo, mislead by a local guide called Syllaeus who brought them into the desert where they became lost and many died of thirst... #southernarabia #arabia #abha #jizan #yemen #coin #saudiarabia #numismatics #silver #flowermen #frankincense #trade #HIMYARITES #Sabeans

[archaicwonder]

English Gold Noble, King Edward III, London mint, C. 1369-1377

The obverse with Edward standing on the deck of a ship, facing the viewer and brandishing sword and shield, decorated with coat of arms of England and France. The legend reading: EDWARD DEI GRA REX AIIGL’ 7 FRAIIC D hYB. The reverse with ornate cross with lis at ends and E in center, surrounded by crowned lions. The legend reading:  +IhC AVTEm TRAIISIEIIS P mEDIVm ILLORVm IBAT.

The obverse image of Edward within a ship is believed to have originally been designed to commemorate the famous Battle of Sulys, one of the opening clashes of the Hundred Years War and one of England’s earliest and most famous naval victories. In the brutal hand-to-hand fighting Edward was wounded by a crossbow bolt, yet he ultimately led the English in a crushing victory against the supposedly superior French fleet. Such was the scale of the victory that for years afterwards the English joked the fish were speaking French because of the number of bodies in the sea. No doubt those who handled this coin were reminded of the jest and the scale of this momentous victory.

[datucoins-blog]

Recently acquired...The first Islamic coinage in Indonesia!... This Kupang dates from between 1298-1326 minted by Sultan Muhammad Malik Zuhair and was the first Islamic coinage of the state of Samedura Pasi located at the Northern part of Sumatra...this state strategically placed between Asia and the Middle East and Europe was visited by both Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo certainly the most famous explorers of the 13-14th centuries...the people of Pasi grew rich off the many junks that visited them on the trade routs carrying porcelains silks gold spices and jewels... #gold #coin #numismatics #arabic #islam #islamicworld #culture #trade #medieval #islamic #kupang #Indonesia #Malaysia

[datucoins-blog]

Is this where the French Fluer de Lyes comes from? Recently acquired this very rare coin of Mu'tamid the famous poet King of Seville following the Islamic traditions in Andalus he was incredibly tolerant towards minorities even having a trusted an effective and trusted advisor in the form of his Jewish prime minister ... when Mu'tamid was considering the help of the North Africans against the armies of the reconquista he said, "I would rather be a camel driver in North Africa than a swine herd in Castille"... he died in 1095 in enforced exile by his former N.African allies If u look at the gold u would see a reddish type colour typical of Malian gold... #coin #dinar #gold #mutamid #tollerance #poetry #islam #islamichistory #numismatics #andalus #mali

[ancientcoins]

Gold Solidus from Islamic Spain, 98AH/716-717CE, Obverse: Eight pointed star, FERITOSSOLIINSPANAN {= “FeRITOS SOLIdus IN SPANia ANno”} (“Solidus made in Spain in the Year (omitted)”). Reverse: Muḥammad rasūl Allāh (“Muḥammad is the Messenger of God”). ḍuriba hadhā al-dīnār bi-al-andalus sanat thamān wa tisʿīn (“In the name of God, this dīnār was struck in Al-Andalus the year 98”), 4.14gr

This coin is the first known example of Arabic legends appearing in Spain. The conquest of Spain by the Umayyad Caliphate took place from 711-788 CE and the new regime, while it initially continued the local coinage, quickly adopted an aniconic, or image-free, coinage, since the star on the obverse doesn’t really count, and introduced these coins with beautiful Arabic legends and poorer quality Latin legends. Bilingual coinage is not unknown, but is still an uncommon feature on coins. The clear and well engraved Muslim profession of faith here is paired with a very abbreviated synopsis of the denominational information on the Latin side, suggesting that the Muslim issuers were more concerned with the proper use of their own language than with the language spoken by the majority of their subjects.

[datucoins-blog]

Drachma of Alexander the Great (356-323B.C). Babylon Mint. Sami Fortune Collection Datu  This large heavy silver coin struck in superb detail in 317B.C at Babylon Alexander’s Capitol at the centre of his vast empire, a few years after Alexanders death (323B.C)…..The coin depicts Alexander as Hercules wearing the famous Namean Lion skin the ultimate symbol of victory and invincibility (the skin of the Namean lion was supposed to be impenetrable…in fact Alexander was never defeated in battle…his ultimate defeat however was brought on by extreme drinking and possibly poison…The back of the coin reads ‘Bazelus Alexandros’ or King Alexander and may have been traded anywhere in his vast empire from Macedonia to the Indus Valley and beyond. Alexanders empire brought safety and security to millions of people and set an example for cultural integration and inter-marriage for hundreds of years. Descendants of Alexanders generals were still controlling parts of Afghanistan and India fusing Indian and Greek culture for almost four centuries after his death. Greek language was also the limgua Franca across the vast area his empire covered until the 9th-10th centuries way after the arrival of Islam…. Many of this soldiers settled in the areas they conquered and remnants of their culture and religion may sometimes be seen in the remote passes and villages of Central Asia and in the coloured eyes of their descendants maybe even the famous Afghan Girl with her striking Green eyes had an ancient ancestor in a soldier from Greece….. #alexanderthegreat #coin #silver #numismatics #samiFortune #TheFortuneCollection #empire #ancientgreece #culture #Afghanistan #Babylon

[mediterraneum]

Gilt-Bronze fountain head, Spain “Andalus”, 975-1025.

[datucoins-blog]

Nasrid Gold Dobla, Sultan Yusuf (1318-1354), Acquired Sept 2016, Sami Fortune Collection  After a lot of uming and aring scrimping and saving bidded for and won this amazing very rare Nasrid gold Dobla. Minted in the 14th century under the Sultan Yusuf (1318-1354). This Sultan constructed many parts of the Alhambra palace built an advanced medical school and university known as the Madrassa al Yusuf /Yusfiyya where the plague was first examined and where it was discovered that the illness was contagious amounts infected patients. The coin was probably minted in the AlHambra palace and reflects all the complex, proportioned and beautiful decoration found there. This Dobla or double dinar, was probably used to pay tribute to other Spanish states in the north and keep peace in the kingdom. It may have been used in international trade too securing the sale of Granadan silks of which the city was famous along a network of Venetian and Genoese traders or it might even have been sold to Medieval London where a lack of Gold here meant that it was to be melted and made into a crude local coin. Thank goodness this one missed the furnace…I am mesmerised by the calligraphy and a sense of wonder an object that has witnessed so much it’s a direct link to an incredible forgotten time from the zenith last of the great Andalusian kingdoms… #Andalus #dobla #Nasrid #gold #history #islam #Granada #sultan #SamiFortune #TheFortuneCollection #coin #numesmatics #alhambra