Ancientnoob's thread about his Sindi Islamic coin got me thinking about my only medieval Islamic coin, and how nice it is. I don't think I've shared it on here so here it is: Umayyad Caliphate, AE Fals Obv: The Kalima, in 3-line script, within three circles Rev: In Arabic script: "Muhammad rasul Allah" Tabariya (Tiberias) mint, Album 188 21 mm, 4.05 g The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the great Islamic caliphates and the largest empire up to that point in history, at it's height spanning from Spain to the border with India: (From Wikipedia)
Nice lookin' coin, Jango!! :thumb: Sadly, I don't know anything about this coin-type ... however, I do absolutely "love" the orange-ish patina!! (very cool)
It's a nice coin, VK. I haven't been bitten by the Islamic coin bug though, mostly because of the paucity of imaginative designs, but never say never.
You'll never get interested that way, unless you somehow miraculously develop an appreciation for Arabic calligraphy. The only way to become involved in Islamic coins is to become better acquainted with the history. I recommend A Handbook of Islamic Coins by Michael Broome. While not a catalog by any means, it is a very good historical review of the period. Once you get more interested, a copy of Arabic Coins and How to Read Them by Richard Plant is a must.
