Coin
Unknown Artist
probably 8th–9th century
Medium
Copper
Classification
Coins
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1939
Accession Number
39.40.127.470
Art Historical Context
This unassuming copper coin, dating to the 8th–9th century, offers a window into the vibrant early Islamic world under the Abbasid Caliphate. Minted during a golden age of expansion and cultural flourishing—from Baghdad to the edges of the empire—these coins were everyday essentials, circulating as fals (low-denomination currency) for trade, taxes, and markets bustling with merchants from Persia to Spain. Crafted in copper, a durable and affordable medium, the coin exemplifies Islamic numismatic artistry through intricate Arabic calligraphy and geometric motifs, adhering to aniconic tradition...