Coin

Art Historical Context

This copper coin, struck in A.H. 156 (773 CE), offers a tangible glimpse into the early Abbasid Caliphate, a golden age of Islamic expansion and cultural flourishing. Minted during the reign of Caliph al-Mansur or his successor al-Mahdi, it reflects the Abbasids' shift from Umayyad traditions, emphasizing Arabic inscriptions over figural imagery in line with Islamic aniconism. Such coins circulated across a vast empire stretching from Spain to Central Asia, facilitating trade in bustling markets from Baghdad to Samarkand. As a medium, copper was ideal for everyday transactions, distinct from ...