Rare tanka, Tamerlane (1370-1405) w/overlord Mahmud, Herat, Timurids
Naskh legend: Shahada la ilah illa Allah / Muhammad Rasul Allah ("There is no deity except God, Muhammad is the messenger of God") in a dotted square, scalloped countermark Adl Sultan Abu Sa'id Kurkan and later smaller countermark "Behbud" // Naksh legends: Sultan Mahmud Khan bin al-Amir (?) Khallada Allah Mulkahu Amir Timur Kurkan, date (793, written in numerals) and mint in the circular margin. 25mm, 5.96 grams. Herat mint, minted 793 AH (1390). cf.Zeno 301158.
Nice and rare large silver tanka. The first countermark was applied by the square countermark was applied by Abu Sa'id Gurkan (great-grandson of Timur and Timurid ruler of Samarqand and Transoxiana, 1451-1469); the second countermark (Behbud, meaning "improvement" in Persian?) was applied by the Timurid Sultan of Herat, Husayn Bayqara (1469-1506).
A very nice example of a coin of one of the cruelest and infamous rulers of all times!