Islamic Coin Umayyad Gold Dinar Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik 114H -732AD Lustrous VF+
Description: Umayyad Gold Dinar struck in 114 AH (732 AD) during the reign of the Caliph Hisham Ibn Abd al-Malik. Hisham ruled the Islamic world in the period 105-125 AH (724-743 AD). His father Abd al-Malik is the Umayyad Caliph responsible for the reformed coinage in the Islamic world. Please carefully review the photos presented as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: Struck 114 AH or 732 AD.
Mint: Not mentioned on the coin, but known to be Dimishq.
Size and weight: This is a gold dinar, weighs ~4.2 grams and is ~18.5 mm in diameter.
References: It is Album 136, listed in Lane-Poole Catalogue of the Collection of Arabic Coins Preserved in the Khedivial Library in Cairo as No. 48, and is listed in Wilkes as No. 208.
Condition: I would grade this coin as toned very fine or much better. The coin is beautiful, lightly toned, and shows light wear. The coin shows some minor surface marks and embedded dirt within the lettering. The coin is nicely struck with very readable and distinct calligraphy. This is a great looking coin in great condition and worthy of a spot in your collection. Please see photo to appreciate the quality of the coin and for additional condition information.
Historic Perspective: The Muslim Arabs used existing gold and silver coinage in lands they conquered. At that time the nascent Islamic nation did not have a monetary system and did not strike neither gold nor silver coins, instead the conquering Arabs used the Byzantine monetary system already existing in Egypt for most of the gold coins and the Sassanian monetary system already existing in Iran for most silver coins with minor modifications. In 77 AH (699 AD) Abd al-Malik Ibn Marwan the Umayyad caliph instituted a monetary system and began striking the first Islamic coins including the gold Dinar. The dinar weighed 4.25 grams, or one mithqal, of the highest purity gold possible. At the time the center of power and the main gold coin mint was located in Dimishq (current day Damascus in Syria).
