Afghanistan SH1339 8 grams
The first specimen was lot 1294 in Stephen Album sale 38 (Santa Rosa, CA, September 2020), where it sold for $654.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "AFGHANISTAN: Muhammad Zahir, 1933-1973, AV 8 grams, SH1339/AH1380, light surface hairlines, Proof." The second specimen was lot 1266 in Stephen Album sale 39 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2021), where it sold for $660. The catalog description[2] noted, "AFGHANISTAN: Muhammad Zahir, 1933-1973, AV 8 grams 8.00 g, AH1380, Unc." It is dated using the Solar Hegira calendar, which starts on the same date as the traditional Hegira calendar but uses solar years rather than lunar years. This type indeed weighs 8 grams. Its face value is uncertain but was probably meant to trade for a sovereign; a accompanying four grams likely equaled a half sovereign.
Recorded mintage: 200.
Specification: 8 g, 0.900 fine gold, 22 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-952.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 38, featuring the Dabestani Collection of Persian Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2020.
- [2]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 39, featuring the John Sylvester, Jr., Collection of Annamese Medals and Orders, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2020.
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