718 Islamic Coin Umayyad Gold Dinar Caliph Umar b. Abd al-Aziz 100 AH NGC AU 58
Description: An about uncirculated Umayyad gold dinar struck in 100 AH (718-719 AD) during the reign of the Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz. Umar ruled the Islamic empire in the period 99-101 AH (717-719 AD). He is the fourth Caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty. The coin clearly shows the date of minting and as usual is anonymous for the mint. The coin is graded by NGC as AU 58 and comes in a plastic holder so labeled. It weighs 4.24 grams (noted on the slab) and is ~20 mm in diameter. This coin is a great example of reformed Islamic coinage instituted by Abdel Malik b. Marwan. Please carefully review the scan presented as it is part and parcel of our description.
Date: Struck in the year 100 AH or 718-719 AD.
Mint: The coin does not show the name of the mint as was the case with all these coins.
Size and weight: This is a gold dinar, weighs ~4.24 grams and is ~20 mm in diameter.
References: It is Album 132, Wilkes 189, and is listed in Lane Poole Catalogue of the Collection of Arabic Coins Preserved in the Khedivial Library in Cairo Egypt as 31.
Condition: The coin is graded as About Uncirculated AU 58 by NGC and comes in a plastic slab so labeled. The coin shows minimum wear and is very readable with nice clear fields. A beautiful and problem free quality coin 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). On the other hand, silver coins, or dirhams were struck throughout the empire in various mints.
