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Message:: [QUOTE="Severus Alexander, post: 2744215, member: 84744"]Cool coin and great writeup! Here are a couple Spanish-themed coins for you. AR dirhem of 'Abd al-Rahman III (912-961), al-Andalus AH 335 (946-7). The Umayyad rulers established in al-Andalus after the Abbasids overthrew the Umayyad Caliphs in Syria styled themselves as "Emir", indicating that they were at least nominally subject to a higher earthly authority. 'Abd al-Rahman III, however, felt he was sufficiently powerful and secure that he declared himself Caliph, with the Caliphate based in his capital city of Córdoba.  His patronage also made Córdoba the intellectual capital of western Europe.[ATTACH=full]627072[/ATTACH] Billon obolo of Alfonso X of Castile, el Sabio (the Wise) (1252-1284). obv. Castle, rev. Lion.Alfonso fostered the arts and sciences at his court (he was himself an accomplished poet, musician, and astronomer). Many works in Latin and Arabic were translated into vernacular Castilian under his patronage, which was important in transmitting the learning and intellectual heritage of the Arabs to western Europe, ultimately fueling the Italian Renaissance. [ATTACH=full]627076[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]