Islamic Coin Umayyad Gold Dinar 79 AH Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan 698 AD XF+
Description: A beautiful Umayyad gold dinar struck in 79 AH (698 AD) during the reign of the Caliph Abd al-Malik b. Marwan, the Umayyad Caliph responsible for the reform coinage in the Islamic world. Abd al-Malik ruled the Islamic world in the period 65-86 AH (685-705AD). Abdel Malik is the Khalif responsible for introducing the first truly Islamic coinage in 77 AH (696 AD).This is a very nice coin with a well centered strike and very readable calligraphy. Please carefully review the images presented as it is part and parcel of our description.
Date: Struck in the year 79 AH or 698 AD.
Mint: Not mentioned on the coin.
Size and weight: This is a gold dinar weighs ~4.25 grams and is ~19.5 mm in diameter.
References: It is Album 125, is listed in Lane Poole Catalogue of the Collection of Arabic Coins Preserved in the Khedivial Library in Cairo Egypt as number 3 and in Wilkes as #157.
Condition: I would grade this beautiful coin as extremely fine with quite a bit of residual luster. It is beautiful with light wear but has very readable calligraphy. It has a very well centered strike and has great eye appeal. It is problem free, is beautiful coin and is much better than the photos suggest. 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).
