Coin
Unknown Artist
dated A.H. 370/ 980 CE
Medium
Silver
Classification
Coins
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1939
Accession Number
39.40.127.145
Art Historical Context
This silver coin, minted in A.H. 370 (980 CE), offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of medieval Islamic numismatics. Produced during the Abbasid Caliph—a golden age of scholarship, trade, and cultural exchange—the coin reflects the economic backbone of an empire stretching from Spain to Central Asia. As a standard medium of exchange, silver coins like this one facilitated bustling markets in cities such as Baghdad and Samarra, underscoring Islam's emphasis on commerce and justice in trade. Crafted through precise hammering techniques, the likely features elegant Kufic calligraphy, a hallma...