Coin
Unknown Artist
dated A.H. 372/ 982 CE
Medium
Silver
Classification
Coins
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1939
Accession Number
39.40.127.138
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silver coin, minted in A.H. 372 (982 CE), offers a glimpse into the vibrant of medieval Islamic civilization. As a dirham—a standard silver currency—it circulated widely across the Islamic world, facilitating trade from the bustling markets of Baghdad to the distant reaches of Persia and beyond. Struck during a pivotal era under the Abbasid Caliphate's influence, amid the political dynamism of regional dynasties like the Buyids, such coins were not mere money but emblems of authority and faith. Crafted with precision, the coin showcases the artistry of Islamic epigraphy: intric...