AFGHANISTAN TRIBAL GOLD BAR
THIS BAR WAS PROBABLY MADE IN THE 1970'S TO 1980'S DURING THE TIME OF SOVIET OCCUPATION
IT CONTAINS 91.3 GRAMS OF .999 FINE GOLD (2.933 OZS AGW)
THE BAR IS OF A TYPE USED IN THE SMUGGLING TRADE BY AFGHANI TRIBES LED BY REGIONAL WARLORDS OR THE MUJAHIDEEN REBELS THAT FOUGHT THEIR JIHAD AGAINST THE PRO-SOVIET DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN.
THIS BAR IS FLAT BRICKED SHAPED BUT NOT SQUARE, HAVING ONE CORNER ROUNDED OFF AT A STEEPLY SLOPING ANGLE WHICH GIVES IT ITS UNIQUE APPEARANCE.
THE BAR IS STAMPED BOTH ON THE FACE AND THE REVERSE.
THE HEXAGONAL STAMP ON THE FACE BEARS A LEGEND IN ARABIC SCRIPT, PRESUMABLY THE MANUFACTURER NAME. IT ALSO HAS A LION SYMBOL OR LOGO, THE FINENESS (999) AND OTHER ARABIC MARKINGS.
THE REVERSE SIDE BEARS THE SAME MANUFACTURER'S NAME REPEATED IN HORIZONTAL ROWS AND DIVIDED BY 5 POINTED STARS.
IT DOES NOT RESEMBLE THE CRUDE TEZABI, OR SO CALLED "BACKYARD" REFINERY BARS, COMMON TO NEIGHBORING PAKISTAN.
IT IS REMINISCENT TO TOLA BARS THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN THE INDIAN SMUGGLING TRADE THROUGHOUT THE REGION WITH CHARACTERISTIC ROUNDED EDGES MAKING IT EASY FOR SMUGGLERS TO HIDE THEM ON (OR IN) A PERSON. THE CHARACTERISTIC TOLA WEIGHT SCALE DOES NOT FIT THIS PARTICULAR BAR, HOWEVER.
AFGHANISTAN TODAY REMAINS THE WORLD'S PRIMARY PRODUCER OF OPIUM AND SMUGGLING/BLACK MARKETRY OF ALL COMMODITIES IS EXTREMELY COMMON.
