716 Islamic Coin Umayyad Gold Dinar Sulayman Ibn Abdel Malik Ibn Marwan NGC UNC
Description: Offered here is an Umayyad Gold Dinar struck in 97 AH (716 AD) during the reign of the Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik b. Marwan. Sulayman ruled the Islamic world in the period 96-99AH (715-717 AD). This is an example of reformed Islamic coinage instituted by Abdel Malik b. Marwan in 77 AH. The dinar is graded as Uncirculated by NGC and comes in a plastic slab so labeled. The rim of the coin has been filed and as such the slab notes such a detail. Other than that, this is a beautiful coin of op quality worthy of a spot in your collection. Please carefully review the photos presented as it is part and parcel of our description.
Date: Struck in the year 97 AH or 716 AD.
Mint: Not mentioned on the coin.
Size and weight: This is a gold dinar, should weighs ~4.3 grams and is ~19 mm in diameter.
References: It is Album 130, Bernardi 43, and is listed in Lane Poole Catalogue of the Collection of Arabic Coins Preserved in the Khedivial Library in Cairo Egypt as number 27.
Condition: The coin is graded as Uncirculated by NGC and comes in a plastic slab so labeled. The slab also mentions the rim had been filed and hence it is labeled UNC DETAILS RIM FILING. Be that as it may, the coin is great looking with no observable wear and looks great. Close examination shows minimum edge filling in the area between 12 and 3 o'clock of the obverse. Other than that, this is a very nice coin with a well centered strike and beautiful Calligraphy. The coin is beautiful and is much better than the photos suggest. A beautiful and very readable coin of the highest quality to add to your collection. Please see photos 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).
