Rare Shaybanid AE fals, 2 countermarks - Akhsikath and Samarqand on a Samarqand fals dated 908 AH, early 1500s
Countermarked "'Adl 'Akhsi" ("just (coin) of 'Akhsi") and "'Adl Samarqand" ("just (coin) of Samarqand") on an anonymous civic fals. Overstriking an anonymous fals from Samarqand dated to 908 AH (1502 CE). 23.5mm, 3.76 grams. cf,Zeno #337455 (for Akhsikath countermark) and cf. Zeno 337471 (for Samarqand countermark); Zeno 337822 (this coin).
Rare and very nice for the type, with a fully imprinted countermarks and with a clear and attributable host coin undertype. Very rare with two clear countermarks. This coin is undated and anonymous, but it is likely dated to the late 800s AH or early 900's AH, when this sort of countermarked coinage circulated widely through Timurid domains.
The mint of Akhsi (also known as Ahsi, Akshikath or Aksikent) is an ancient city (now an archaeological site) located in the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan. A fortified city along the Syr Darya, it is lcated near the better known ancient city of Andijan. In the 15th century, Umar Shaikh Mirza II, father of the future Mughal Emperor Babur, ruled the Fergana Valley and chose Akhsikath as his main residence. Babur was most likely born there, or in nearby Andijan, but Akhsikath is where Umar Shaikh fell accidentally to his death in 1494, bringing Babur to the throne. After the 15th century, the city went into decline and was abandoned after the ruinous earthquake of 1620.
From AH 818 until AH 905, all Central Asian mints were under Timurid control, and all came under Shaybanid authority during the following few years. The post-Shahrukh Timurid copper coinage and all Shaybanid copper coinage was anonymous and best regarded as civic coinage. Many of the coins circulated until worn flat and then countermarked, usually with the name of the countermarking mint. Sometimes the countermarks were applied at different mints. Most Central Asian coppers were somewhat carelessly struck, often with considerable areas of flatness. Unfortunately, no thorough reference catalog of the series has yet been undertaken.