Coin

Art Historical Context

This unassuming copper coin, dating from the 5th to 14th century, offers a tangible window into the vast Islamic world, spanning early caliphates to medieval dynasties. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art Department and acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1939, it exemplifies everyday artifacts that powered economies across regions from Spain to Central Asia. During this expansive era, coins like this circulated as vital tools of trade, taxation, and governance, often bearing Arabic inscriptions that proclaimed rulers' names, mint locations, and dates—silent witnesses to pol...