Coin

Art Historical Context

This exquisite silver coin, struck between 977 and 982 CE, hails from the vibrant Islamic world of the late 10th century As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art collection, it exemplifies the precision craftsmanship of medieval minting techniques. Crafted from high-quality silver—a prized medium for its durability and portability—this coin likely served as a dirham, the standard silver currency that fueled trade across vast empires from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. During this era, the Abbasid Caliphate's influence waned as regional dynasties like the Buyids in Iran and ...