2. Quarter Dīnār (Fatimid) and Tarì (Norman Quarter Dīnār imitation), 11th-12th Centuries CE

In this brief payment order from the latter half of the twelfth century, David ha-Nasi authorizes three communal officials– Maḥfūẓ, Sālim, and Abū ʿAli –to make a charitable payment of a quarter dīnār to the foster sons of al-Afḍāl. The payment is to be drawn from "the revenue [of the collection] for Jerusalem," which included income from properties held in the communal pious endowment (qodesh). The quarter dīnār was first minted in Fatimid Sicily across the 900s CE and, by the turn of the eleventh century, its popularity in circulation grew to the extent that the Norman rulers of southern Italy began to mint imitations. The latter variants often featured pseudo-Kufic inscriptions and were known as "tarì" in Latin– a term that derives from the Arabic "ṭarī/طري" meaning "fresh" or, contextually, "freshly minted" [1]. The usage of this term is also attested in Hebrew, here in T-S 13J16.11, in which Sahlān b. Avraham requests a charitable payment from his uncle Aharon in a letter dating from the eleventh century. Sahlān writes on behalf of a rabbinic court (beit din) that appoints Aharon to resolve a marital dispute between Baqā ha-Kohen b. Yosef and Ḥusn bt. Aharon.

[1] William R. Day Jr., "The monetary reforms of Charlemagne and the circulation of money in early medieval Campania," Early Medieval Europe 6.1 (1997): 43-44.

"Charitable Payment Order," CUL T-S AS 146.5r, second half of 12th century CE, Judaeo-Arabic.

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1 David ha-Nasi... | ...דוד הנשיא

2 Maḥfūẓ should pay, and Sālim and Abū ʿAli the... | ...ידפע מחפוט וסאלם ואבו עלי אל

3 from that which is in hand from the revenue [of the collection for Jerusalem] | ממא תחת ידהם מן אלחאצל ללמקדס לל

4 to the foster boys of the most venerable elder al-Afḍāl | צביאן רבאב אלסייד אלאגל אלאפצל

5 a quarter dīnār | רבע דינאר

Note on line 5: The document is not necessarily referring to the quarter-dinar coin but only to a quarter dinar as a sum of money which could have been paid with a rubāʿī or some combination of lesser-value coinage.

(ed. S.D. Goitein, trans. Alan Elbaum and Matthew Dudley)

"Family Letter on a Marital Dispute and a Communal Donation," CUL T-S 13J16.11r, 11th-century, Hebrew.

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10 Now, our dear one, act in this matter according to your wisdom, and spare no effort, | עתה יקירנו עשה בדבר הזה כחכמתך ואל תניח יכולת

11 for good things are brought about by those who seek and pursue them, and may your help come from heaven. | כי הזכות תגולגל על ידי דורשה ומבקשה מן השמים

12 And send us the two ṭaris for the charity drive without delay... | ...יסייעוך ושלח אלינו השני טריים לפסיקה בלא איחור

(ed. S.D. Goitein, trans. Alan Elbaum and Matthew Dudley)

Quarter Dīnār from the Princeton Numismatic Collection (Coin: 16469)

Denomination:1/4 dinar

Metal: Gold

Region: Fatimid Caliphate

State: Siqiliya

Ruler: al-Mustanṣir bi-llāh (1036 to 1095)

Date: 1036 to 1095

References: Album 722 - Mitchiner 568 - Sylloge of Islamic Coins in the Ashmolean 6 589

Size: 14 in mm

Weight: 0.91 in grams

Accession: Accession number: 878, 2021-12-27, Stephen Album

Shape: round

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