Artheon MuseumArtheonMuseum

Coin

Unknown Artist

967–78

Coin by Unknown Artist

Medium

Silver

Classification

Coins

Department

Islamic Art

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Rogers Fund, 1939

Accession Number

39.40.127.102

Art Historical Context

This exquisite silver coin, minted between 967 and CE, offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of the 10 century. As a product of the Abbasid era under Buyid influence, it the dirham—a standard silver currency that facilitated trade across vast empires from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. Crafted through precise striking techniques thin silver planchets, such coins bore intricate Arabic inscriptions rather than images, adhering to Islamic aniconism while elevating calligraphy to an art form. The coin's artistic significance lies in its role as miniature propaganda and cultural artifact. T...

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