Coin
Unknown Artist
5th–14th century
Medium
Copper
Classification
Coins
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1939
Accession Number
39.40.127.532
Art Historical Context
This copper coin, hailing from the Islamic world between the 5th and 14th centuries, a tangible glimpse into the vibrant economic and cultural life of medieval Islamic civilizations. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1939 and now housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Department of Islamic Art, it the practical artistry of numismatics—small-scale metalwork that served as currency, propaganda, and historical record. Crafted from durable copper, a common medium for everyday transactions in bustling markets from the Umayyad to Mongol eras, such coins were meticulously struck with dies to bear...