Articles
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Why Islamic Coins Will Be a Rewarding Step in Your Numismatic Journey
Roman coins reveal who ruled the ancient world, and U.S. coins show the rise of a young republic, but Islamic coins, on the other hand, show how the medieval world actually worked. Trading portraits for elegant information-rich calligraphy, precise dates, and mint locations from Spain to Central Asia, Islamic numismatics offers an affordable, deeply rewarding frontier for collectors eager to look beyond conventional collecting fields.
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Coin in Focus: Gold Dinar of Al-Saffah
This short article examines the anonymous gold dinars issued during the reign of al-Saffah (AH 132-136), the first caliph of the Abbasid dynasty. Following the overthrow of the Umayyads, Al-Saffah’s coinage maintained traditional Umyad stylistic elements while introducing a key ideological shift in the reverse legend, replacing Surat al-Ikhlas with "Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." By analyzing marginal inscriptions across his five-year rule, this article highlights how these rare, anonymous dinars mark a pivotal transition in early Islamic numismatics and dynastic power.
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First Islamic Coin in History
Before minting their own money, the early Muslim community relied on the coins of neighboring empires. That changed under the third caliph, 'Uthman, when the fall of the Sasanian Empire created a need for a unified monetary system. The solution was the Arab-Sasanian coin, a fascinating hybrid that kept Persian royal portraits, Zoroastrian fire altars, and the Pahlavi script, while quietly marking Muslim authority with subtle Arabic margin inscriptions like the basmala.
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