Coin

Art Historical Context

This unassuming copper coin, dating from the 5th to 14th century, offers a window into the vast Islamic world, where numismatics blended artistry, commerce, and governance. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Department (acquired through the Rogers Fund in 9), it exemplifies everyday currency from an era spanning the rise of early caliphates to the height of medieval Islamic empires. Coins like this circulated across regions from Spain to Central Asia, facilitating trade along the Silk Road and beyond. Crafted in copper—a practical, affordable medium for small transactions—such...