739 Islamic Coin Umayyad Gold Dinar Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik 121H Toned XF
Description: Umayyad Gold Dinar struck in 121 AH (739 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 121 AH or 739 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 ~20 mm in diameter.
References: It is Album 136, Al-Ush 539-541, and Wilkes 215.
Condition: I would grade this coin as lustrous extremely fine. The coin is beautiful, lightly toned, and shows light wear. The coin shows some light wear to the highest points commensurate with its age and circulated state. Be that as it may, this is a great looking coin that is in great condition, and is 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).
