Rare bronze fals, joint issue by Tahirid governor of Khurasan Tahir bin Abdallah, Abu Abdallah (future Abbasid Caliph al-Mu'tazz) and Abbasid Caliph al-Mutawakil (847-861 AD), Shash mint, 241 AH / 855 AD, Central Asia

Normal arabic inscriptions on both sides, including Kalima, mint (Shash) and date (241 AH = 855 AD). Mint of Shash (Chach, modern Tashkent). 26mm, 3.59 grams. A-B1395.2, Zeno-46871.

Joint Abbasid/Tahirid issue, rare. Citing both Tahir II (845-862) in the obverse margin, plus the caliph al-Mutawakkil beneath the reverse and the caliphate heir-apparent Abu 'Abd Allah beneath the obverse field.

Tahir ibn 'Abdallah (died 862) was the son of the former Tahirid governor of Khurasan 'Abdallah (d.844 CE), and a Tahirid governor of Khurasan from 845 until 862. He was the governor for seventeen years under Abbasid caliph al-Wathiq, al-Mutawakkil and al-Muntasir. He was semi-independent, acknowledging the Abbasid Caliphs as his superior and placing the names of the Abbasid Caliphs on his coinage.