Four Arabic words around a square hole: Malik above, Aram in the right field, Yinal below, Qaraj in the left field / Blank. 25mm, 4.31 grams. Cf. Zeno 322256; Kamyshev's "Early Mediaeval Monetary Complex of Semirech'e" #49; V.N.Nastich. Monetnye nakhodki iz Kazakhstana i Kirgizii ('Coin Findings from Kazakhstan and Kirghizia'), - in: Vtoraia Vsesoiuznaia Numizmaticheskaia Konferentsiia (the 2nd All-Russian Numismatic Conference. Abstracts of papers and communications), Moscow, 1987, pp. 52-53.

Rare. Nice clear inscription, original patina, spot of discoloration on the reverse.

It seems there is new evidence to re-attribute this type to Yelü Dashi, courtesy name Zhongde, who was also known by his temple name as the Emperor Dezong of Western Liao, was the founder of the Western Liao dynasty (ruled as King from 1124 to 1132 and as Emperor from 1132 to 1143), so the attribution of this coin as a "Proto-Qarakhanid" type is no longer certain.

Fascinating issue, fusing the Chinese-style coins with four characters with Arabic inscriptions. Judging by the topography of findings, this issue can be correlated with some Turk rulers of Semirechye; it is not improbable that it belongs to the so-called 'proto-Qarakhanid' coins (the term also suggested by Dr. Nastich) issued before the statement of traditional 'Muslim' design of Qarakhanid coins. Based on the paleography of the inscriptions, these coins can be dated back to the 10th century AD.