Coin
Unknown Artist
14th century
Medium
Copper
Classification
Coins
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1939
Accession Number
39.40.127.315
Art Historical Context
This unassuming copper coin from the 14th offers a tangible glimpse into the vibrant economic and cultural life of the medieval Islamic world. Minted during a time when vast trade networks spanned from the Middle East to North Africa and beyond, such coins facilitated everyday commerce in bustling souks and along caravan routes. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1939, it now resides in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Islamic Art department exemplifying the precision craftsmanship of the era. Islamic coins like this one were masterpieces of epigraphy and design, featuring intricate Arabic insc...