Coin

Art Historical Context

This copper coin, struck in A.H. 139 (756 CE), hails from the early Abbasid Caliphate, a pivotal era in Islamic history marking the shift from Umayyad to Abbasid rule. The Abbasids, centered in Baghdad, ushered in a golden age of science, art, and administration, and their coinage reflected this new imperial confidence. Dated precisely to the reign of Caliph al-Mansur (r. 754–775 CE), this piece likely originated from a major mint like Baghdad or Basra, serving as everyday currency in a vast empire stretching from Spain to Central Asia. Crafted through the ancient technique of striking—hammer...