Arabic Kalima, dates and mint. In the name of Caliph al-Qadir, Mahmud himself and the Khorasan Governor Balkategin. Dated to the frozen year 389 AH / 998 AD. Mint of Anderabah. 47mm, 9.66 grams. Mitchiner WOI #765..

The Samanid-style multiple dirham, showing some mint luster on one side - multiple dirhams of this quality are extremely rare. These were not struck to any single standard (the weight of these pieces can vary from 5 to 15 grams) and probably fulfilled the role of bullion ingots as well as of (probably local) coinage. The silver, after being mined in the silver mines of the Hindu Kush, was made into the form of these large coins. After they were disseminated to the other cities away from the silver mines, they were recoined into the "normal" dirham coinage. All these multiple dirhems are rare.