Coin

Art Historical Context

This diminutive copper coin, measuring just 1⅛ inches in diameter and weighing a mere 0.11, hails from the years 560–628 CE—a pivotal era bridging the late Sasanian Empire and the dawn of Islam. Struck during a time of imperial grandeur in Persia, it exemplifies the everyday currency that fueled trade across the ancient Near East, from bustling bazaars to distant caravan routes. Classified within the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic department, this coin reflects the numismatic traditions that profoundly influenced early Islamic coinage. The Sasanians, masters of die-struck metalwork, pro...