Quaiti (Qu`aytí)

Research

An online article, Tales of a Thaler , makes the following statement about Quaiti counterstamps on Maria Theresa Talers:

The statement is attributed to Ghalib bin 'Awadh Al-Qu'aiti, the last sultan of the Qu'aiti state in Hadhramawt.

Brunk writes, on page 367:

Schulman and other sources also attribute the counterstamp to Sultan Monasar bin Abdullal (or Monasar bin Abdullah, or Munassar ibn `Abd Allah al-Qu`ayti), with a strike date of 1307 AH (1889 AD).

ANS has two Maria Theresa Talers with Quaiti counterstamp in its collection.

• ANS 1964.7.2, description: ctsp. sana 1307 Munasir al-Dawla b. `Abd Allah al-Mustafa.
• ANS 1984.169.24

According to Sultan Ghalib bin 'Awadh Al-Qu'aiti, Munassar bin Abdullah counterstruck Maria Theresa Thalers as well as Indian Annas and Rupees. The small counterstamp was used in 1888/1889, and the large counterstamp was used in the 1890s. The date of AH1307 was used on all counterstamps, indicating the year when Munassar obtained power of Shibam, the inner Hadhramout. Munassar counterstamped the coins to support his claim of power over his brother Hussein, who ruled the coastal areas (Shir, Mukalla), and his uncle Awadh bin Umar al Qu'aiti, who ruled over the entire Al-Qu'aiti tribe and spent most of his time in Hyderabad (India).

Al Daula (al-Dawla) Munassar as imprinted on the counterstamp translates to Ruler Munassar. The coins were counterstamped in Hadhramout, explaining the counterstamp's simplicity.

The counterstamps in question are Hafner 109 and 110. Krause/Mishler lists the coins under Qaiti as KM#35 and KM#36.

Sales

Reference	Auction	Comments
Hafner 109 or 110	The Numismatic Review and Coin Galleries Fixed Price List, Vol. IX, Number 4, 1968; Lot #D901.	Description: Quaiti Sultanate, Monasar bin Abdullah. Rial A.H. 1307 (1889). Maria Theresa Levantine Dollar, 1780 counterstamped with small dated stamp. Y.7. Specimen not displayed.
Hafner 110	Schulman, Frederico Diaz Lascano Collection et al, May 1969; Lot #823.	Also two Pemba counterstamps. From Browder collection. Host coin is a post-1945 strike.
Hafner 109 or 110	Schulman, Frederico Diaz Lascano Collection et al, May 1969; Lot #824.	Specimen not displayed.
Hafner 110	Schulman, Frederico Diaz Lascano Collection et al, May 1969; Lot #825.	From Browder collection. Host coin is a post-1945 strike.
Hafner 109	Schulman, May 1970; Lot #510.	With additional Azores counterstamp (Hafner 97). Host coin is a post-1945 strike. From Browder collection.
Hafner 109 or 110	Schulman, May 1970; Lot #511.	Specimen not displayed. From Browder collection.
Hafner 109	Schulman, May 1970; Lot #538.	Host coin is a post-1945 strike. From Browder collection.
Hafner 109	Schulman, January 1971; Lot #1128.	From Browder collection.
Hafner 110	Schulman, January 1971; Lot #1129.	From Browder collection.
Hafner 109	Schulman, March 1973; Lot #1304.	From Browder collection.
Hafner 109	Schulman, March 1973; Lot #1305.	With additional Azores counterstamp (Hafner 97). Specimen from May 1970 sale. From Browder collection.

Other specimen

• Three of the four specimen of Maria Theresa Thalers with Quaiti counterstamps in my collection have been struck after 1945, and are therefore obviously not genuine.

• The specimen displayed as H109b was identified as a fake specimen from the Browder collection on Zeno.

Conclusion

The existence of authentic Quaiti counterstamps on Maria Theresa Talers has been confirmed with the information received from Sultan Ghalib bin 'Awadh Al-Qu'aiti.

However, a large number of fake counterstamps do exist. Especially specimen offered for sale from the late 1960s are suspicious, and most of the specimen in the market today are fake.

Acknowledgements

The key information on this page is due to Jochen Renger. Mr. Renger established contact with Sultan Ghalib and thus confirmed the existence of authentic counterstamps.