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Coinage of Tahir ibn Husayn

1 catalogued issue of Tahir ibn Husayn — metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions with references.

In short

Tahir ibn Husayn (d. 822) was the Abbasid general who founded the Tahirid dynasty in Khorasan — the first step toward the effective independence of eastern Iran within the caliphate. Tahir ibn Husayn issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 206 CE – 822 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at al-Muhammadiya (Ray).

Catalogued
1
Eras
1
Metals
1
Denominations
1

Key facts

Key facts about Tahir ibn Husayn in the Persian Treasury catalogue
Catalogued pieces1
Date range206 CE – 822 CE
Eras representedArab-Sasanian & Early Islamic
MetalsSilver
DenominationsDirham
Mintsal-Muhammadiya (Ray)
Died822 CE
RegionKhorasan
DynastyTahirid, 821–873
Mintsal-Muhammadiya (Ray), Nishapur, Merv

Autonomy inside an empire

Tahir won the civil war that put al-Ma'mun on the caliphal throne and was rewarded with the governorship of Khorasan. He then omitted the caliph's name from the Friday sermon, a public assertion of autonomy, and died shortly after.

His descendants governed Khorasan as a hereditary dynasty while still nominally Abbasid, and their coinage from al-Muhammadiya (Ray) and Nishapur records the arrangement.

Coinage

Tahirid dirhams are conventional Abbasid epigraphic silver naming the caliph and the governor together, which is exactly what makes them evidence: a coin that names two authorities documents a divided one.

They are reasonably available and cheap relative to their historical importance in the story of Iranian political revival.

Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic · 651 – 1258 CE

Era overview →

Tahirid Silver Dirham

Tahir ibn Husayn

821–822 CE (AH 206)

Tahir founded the first quasi-independent Iranian Islamic dynasty in Khorasan (821–873), nominally loyal to the Abbasid caliph.

Frequently asked about Tahir ibn Husayn

Who were the Tahirids?
A dynasty of hereditary governors ruling Khorasan from 821, nominally under the Abbasid caliph but effectively autonomous — the first stage of eastern Iranian independence.
What do Tahirid coins show?
Standard Abbasid epigraphic legends naming both the caliph and the Tahirid governor, documenting the shared sovereignty of the arrangement.
What coins did Tahir ibn Husayn issue?
Tahir ibn Husayn issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 206 CE – 822 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at al-Muhammadiya (Ray).
How many Tahir ibn Husayn pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
1 item, dated 206 CE – 822 CE, spread across 1 era: Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic.
Which metals were used for Tahir ibn Husayn coinage?
Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
Which denominations are associated with Tahir ibn Husayn?
Dirham. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.
Where were Tahir ibn Husayn coins minted?
Recorded mints include al-Muhammadiya (Ray).

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Denominations here

Metals here