AH 618 (1221 AD) Great Mongols / Malik of Kurzuwan Jital | NGC VF 25 BN – Ex. Robert Tye Pedigree.
Item Overview
A dramatic relic from the brutal Mongol conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire! In the late spring of 1221 AD (AH 618), as Genghis Khan’s forces swept across Central Asia, the local ruler (malik) of Kurzuwan issued emergency bronze jitals to maintain local commerce and pay defenders during an intense weeks-long siege. These coins were produced for only a brief period—dated specifically by the Islamic months Rabi II or Jumada I—before the city fell to the Mongols and was completely destroyed.
Graded VF 25 BN (Very Fine 25, Brown) by NGC, this specimen displays exceptional overall relief for a siege issue struck under desperate conditions. It is further distinguished by its Ex. Robert Tye collection pedigree noted on the official NGC slab.
Specifications & Certification
| Attribute | Details |
| Certification | NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) |
| Grade / Color | VF 25 BN (Very Fine 25, Brown) |
| Pedigree | Ex. Robert Tye Collection (Author of "Jitals") |
| Issuer / City | Great Mongols / Siege Issue of Kurzuwan |
| Ruler | Anonymous Issue citing Al-Malik ("The Prince") |
| Date | AH 618 / 1221 AD (Month of Rabi II or Jumada I) |
| Denomination | Jital (Bronze / Copper) |
| Catalog Reference | Tye 324 / Album 1971 / Nyamaa 31 |
Design & Diagnostic Inscriptions
-
Obverse: Features the central title المٰلك (Al-Malik / "The Prince" or "The Ruler"). Surrounded by a marginal Arabic inscription specifying the exact month and year of the siege (AH 618) inside a dotted border.
-
Reverse: Inscribed in four lines of Kufic script with the mint name کرزوان (Kurzuwan) at the top, followed by the Kalima (the Islamic profession of faith: "There is no deity except God, Muhammad is the messenger of God").
Historical Significance & Provenance
-
Genghis Khan’s Siege: Minted over the span of just a few weeks in June/July 1221 AD while Genghis Khan's forces surrounded the city. Shortly after these coins entered circulation, Kurzuwan fell and was leveled.
-
True Emergency "Siege Currency": While common in early modern European warfare, true emergency siege coinage from the medieval Islamic world is exceptionally rare.
-
The Robert Tye Provenance: Robert Tye literally wrote the book on this series (Jitals, 1995). Having a coin directly from the cabinet of the world's leading authority on medieval Jitals adds substantial historical importance and confidence for ancient and medieval specialists.
