Coin

Art Historical Context

This modest copper coin, struck in A.H. 169–70 (785–86 CE), offers a tangible glimpse into the bustling economy of the early Abbasid Caliphate. Minted during a pivotal era when Baghdad was rising as a global center of trade, learning, and power under caliphs like al-Mahdi and the young Harun al-Rashid, it served as everyday currency known as a *fals*. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1939, it now resides in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Islamic Art department, exemplifying the precision of Abbasid minting techniques. Crafted from durable copper, the coin reflects Islamic monetary tradition...