Coin
Unknown Artist
977–82
Medium
Silver
Classification
Coins
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1939
Accession Number
39.40.127.149
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silver coin, minted between 977 and 982 CE, offers a glimpse into the vibrant of medieval Islamic artistry and economy. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Department, it exemplifies the precision of coinage as both currency and cultural artifact. Crafted from high-quality silver—a prized medium for its durability and luster—this piece likely served as a dirham, the standard silver coin facilitating trade across the expansive Islamic caliphates from Spain to Central Asia. Artistically, Islamic coins like this one highlight the mastery of calligraphy and geometric...