Coin

Art Historical Context

This unassuming copper coin, dating to the 8th–9th century, offers a tangible glimpse into the vibrant world of early Islamic civilization during the Abbasid Calate. Minted in an era when the Islamic empire stretched from Spain to Central Asia, such coins—known as *fals*—served as everyday currency for markets, trade, and taxation, reflecting the economic backbone of a burgeoning global power. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1939, it now resides in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Islamic Art department where it stands as a modest yet profound artifact. Crafted from copper, a durable and aff...