✦ ✦ ✦
Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Islamic Coins
The Complete Chronological and Artistic Guide — From the Dawn of Islam to 1800 AD
60+
State and Emirate
12
Geographical area
1200
A year of history
3
Major minerals
The governing elements for determining currency identity
Identifying Islamic coinage relies on a systematic analysis of several integrated elements. Learn these keys and you will be able to read any coin in minutes.
١Religious traditions (testimony)
It appears in most eras to build religious legitimacy and is considered the fundamental pillar in determining:
There is no god but Allah, the One, without partner.
Muhammad is the Messenger of God
He sent him with guidance and the true religion to make it prevail over all other religions.
note: The absence of the phrase “He alone has no partner” may indicate that the coins were from before full Arabization (before 77 AH).
٢Multiplication and Margin Formula
It is located in the outer circular frame and contains the most important identifying information:
- City of Suk: It precedes it “B” → In Damascus, in Egypt, in Baghdad, in Herat, in Marrakesh
- the date: “This dirham/dinar was struck in the year…” followed by a Hijri date.
- Name of the Caliph or Ruler: In the center or on the periphery, depending on the country
- Title of the Abbasid Caliph: Even in the currencies of sometimes rebellious states
٣Metal classes and weights
| Category | ideal weight | caliber |
|---|---|---|
| Abbasid dinar | 4.25 g | 22-karat gold |
| Samanid dirham | 2.97 g | 90%+ Sterling Silver |
| Abbasid dirham | 2.97 g | Silver 90-95% |
| Umayyad philosophy | 3–5 g | copper |
| Almoravid dinar | 3.88 g | 23-karat gold |
| Safavid (Abbasid) dirham | 7.68 g | 90% Silver |
| Mongolian Rupee | 11.5 g | 95% Silver |
٤Calligraphy styles and their development
Identifying the type of script is one of the most accurate dating tools:
𝕶𝖚𝖋𝖎𝕬
Early Kufi
Approximately 61–200 AH
Coffee flower
flowery Kufi
200–450 AH
copies
Copy and third
450–900 AH
Persian
Persian/Nastaliq
Safavids and Mongols
Tughra
Ottoman tughra
900–1200 AH
square
square Kufi
Unitarians in particular
٥The most prominent roles and areas of beating
| The city (in Arabic) | Modern name | Countries that were hit | period |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Peace / Baghdad | Baghdad | Abbasids, Buyids, Ilkhanids, Timurids | 145–800+ AH |
| Damascus | Damascus | Umayyads, Abbasids, Ayyubids, Mamluks | 65–900+ AH |
| Egypt / Fustat / Cairo | Cairo | The Tulunids, the Ikhshidids, the Fatimids, the Ayyubids, the Mamluks | 170–900+ AH |
| Cordoba / Andalusia | Cordoba, Spain | The Umayyads of Andalusia, the Taifa kings | 138–400+ AH |
| Samarkand / Bukhara | Uzbekistan | Samanids, Ghaznavids, Timurids, Shaybanids | 200–900+ AH |
| Marrakech | Marrakech | Almoravids, Almohads, Marinids | 450–900+ AH |
| Tabriz / Isfahan | Iran | Ilkhanids, Jalayirids, Safavids | 650–1200 AH |
| Delhi / Akbarabad | Delhi, Agra — India | Sultans of Delhi, Mughals of India | 600–1200+ AH |
| Aleppo / Mosul | Syria / Iraq | The Hamdanids, the Zengids, the Ayyubids | 290–660 AH |
| Constantinople / Istanbul | Istanbul | Ottomans | 857–1200+ AH |
٦Special marks and symbols
- Mamluk coats of arms: The lion (Baybars), the bundle (Muhammad ibn Qalawun), the obstacle, the bow
- The Ottoman tughra: The Sultan's handwritten signature is clearly visible.
- The Fatimid Star: In the margins of the dinars as a Shiite symbol
- Mishan point: A small symbol in the margin to identify the mint in Moroccan coins.
- Timurid stamp: A square geometric symbol referring to the Timurids
- The three Fatimid rings: In the margins of the Fatimid dinar as a watermark
- Horoscopes for Jahangir: Rare astronomical symbols on the Mughal rupee
٧Shiite and sectarian traditions
It indicates political and religious affiliation:
Ali is the friend of God
The Twelve Imams
The infallible guardian of God, the Master of the Age
Shiite states that used it: the Fatimids, the Buyids, the Hamdanids, the Safavids, the Zaydis in Yemen.
Quick identification table of the era
| The era | Gregorian period | Predominant metal | font style | distinctive feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Arabization (transitional phase) | 632–696 AD | Silver/Copper | Early Coffee + Pahlavi | Sasanian images with Arabic additions |
| Classic Umayyad | 696–750 AD | Gold and silver | Simple coffee | Completely Apectonic coins, without images |
| early Abbasid | 750–900 AD | Gold and silver | Clear coffee | Name of the Caliph and the Minister |
| First secessionist states | 800–1000 m | Mainly silver | Coffee flower | Name of the local ruler + Caliph |
| The Seljuks and the Rivals | 1000–1200 AD | Gold + Silver | Coffee flower/third | Longer titles, larger size |
| Mongols and Ilkhanids | 1200–1370 AD | silver | One-third + Arabic/Mongolian | Geometric patterns + names of Mongol princes |
| Early Ottomans | 1299–1500 AD | Silver (Akçe) | third | Sultan's name + title + place of residence |
| Classical Safavids and Ottomans | 1500–1700 AD | silver | Nasta'liq/Tughra | Shiite traditions or tughra |
| Late countries (up to 1800 AD) | 1700–1800 AD | Silver + Copper | diverse | Lower quality, simpler patterns |
Comprehensive Atlas of Islamic Dynasties
A comprehensive chronological guide to over 60 countries and emirates, with details of minting style, typical coins and key inscriptions for each country.
No results were found matching the search.
Central Caliphate
▼
The Rightly Guided Caliphs
11–41 AH / 632–661 AD
📍 Housing Centers
- Damascus, Kufa, Basra (Iraq)
- Caesarea and Homs (Damascus)
- Madain and Iraq
🪙 Properties of sugar
- Sasanian Dirham Arabized: bearing the inscriptions of Khosrow + “In the name of God”
- There is no purely Islamic dinar, not even the Umayyad one.
- Byzantine inscriptions modified in the Levant
- The years are written according to the Yazdgerdi calendar.
🪙 Typical examples
Arabized dirham
Sasanian dirham with “In the name of God” added in the margin — very rare
rare
Transitional dinar
Front: Hercules/Modified Cross, Back: Sasanian Fire Pillar with “In the name of God”
Very rare
Central Caliphate
▼
Umayyad State
41–132 AH / 661–750 AD
📍 Major Minting Centers
- Damascus (the capital)
- Wasit (Iraq) — Very important
- Kufa, Basra, Nishapur
- Cordoba (Andalusia) — later
⭐ The Great Achievement: Monetary Reform 77 AH/696 AD
- Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan Arabizes the currency completely
- Permanent removal of human images
- Replace them with pure Quranic inscriptions
- Dinar: 4.25 g gold, round
- Dirham: 2.97 g silver
📝 Unique designs
There is no god but Allah, the One, without partner.
Dinar face — Center
Dinar face — Center
Muhammad is the Messenger of God, sent with guidance and the true religion.
The dinar appeared — the center
The dinar appeared — the center
In the name of God, this dinar was struck in the year [date].
circular margin
circular margin
🪙 Typical examples
Wasit Dinar 77 AH
The first fully Arabized Islamic dinar — a cornerstone in the history of money
rare
Damascus Dirham
Distinctive decimal shape, sharp coffee, very precise weight
Uncommon
copper coin
Various sizes and locations, some bearing local symbols
common
Central Caliphate
▼
Abbasid State
132–656 AH / 750–1258 AD
📍 Housing Centers
- City of Peace (Baghdad) — Main
- Egypt, Damascus, Mosul
- Rayy, Nishapur, Merv, Herat
- Isfahan, Shiraz, Kufa, Basra
🪙 Properties of sugar
- The appearance of the Caliph's name in the center or margin
- Add the name of the Crown Prince and the Minister
- Beautiful flowery Kufic script
- Quality declines with the weakening of the state
- Very thin dinars (after 300 AH)
📝 Unique designs
God / There is no god but God / Muhammad is the Messenger of God
Face — three central lines
Face — three central lines
God is One, God is the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is begotten.
Noon - Surah Al-Ikhlas
Noon - Surah Al-Ikhlas
In the name of God, this dinar was struck in the City of Peace in the year…
circular margin
circular margin
🪙 Typical examples
Dinar of Harun al-Rashid
Pure gold, pristine coffee, the name of Rashid and his son in the margin
Uncommon
Dirham al-Ma'mun
Al-Ma'mun and Tahir (his commander) hold the most important political dirham.
common
Dinar al-Mu'tasim
High quality, the name of three generations of successors
Uncommon
Central Caliphate
▼
The Hamdanids
293–392 AH / 905–1004 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Aleppo, Mosul, Mayyafariqin, Nusaybin
🪙 Properties of sugar
- Silver dirhams bearing the names “Saif al-Dawla” or “Nasir al-Dawla”
- Early Shiite traditions in some editions
- Affirming loyalty to the Abbasids is merely a formality.
🪙 Examples
Saif al-Dawla Dirham
Aleppo — bears his full title and the date of the strike
Uncommon
Egypt and the Levant
▼
The Tulunids and the Ikhshidids
254–358 AH / 868–969 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Egypt/Fustat — Damascus — Tarsus
🪙 Features
- The Tulunids: The Abbasid style continued with the emergence of “Ibn Tulun”.”
- The Ikhshidids: The distinctive letter “Ikhshid” next to the text
- The mention of the Abbasid caliph remains in the margin.
🪙 Examples
Dinar of Ahmad ibn Tulun
Egypt — High-quality gold, its full name
rare
Ikhshid dirham
Silver, Egypt, the distinctive symbol of the Ikhshidid dynasty
Uncommon
Egypt and the Levant
▼
Fatimid State
297–567 AH / 909–1171 AD
📍 Housing Centers
- Cairo / Fustat (after 362 AH)
- Mahdia and Mansouria (Morocco)
- Sicily, Damascus, Tripoli, Tyre
🪙 Unique mint characteristics
- “The three rings in the margin — a Fatimid watermark
- Ismaili sayings: “Ali is the friend of God”
- The Caliph's full name and title
- Dinars made from the purest gold of the Middle Ages
- Writing in concentric circles
📝 Unique designs
Imam Al-Mustansir Billah, Commander of the Faithful
Center of the face — an example of the longest-reigning caliph
Center of the face — an example of the longest-reigning caliph
Ali is the friend of God and the successor of the Messenger of God.
Adding a Shiite Fatimid ancestor
Adding a Shiite Fatimid ancestor
🪙 Typical examples
Dinar al-Mu'izz
Morocco before the conquest, the most beautiful and oldest family dinars
rare
Governor's Dinar
Egypt — Excellent gold, the title “Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah”
Uncommon
Dinar Al-Mustansir
Most commonly due to the length of the reign (60 years)
Relatively common
Egypt and the Levant
▼
Ayyubid State
567–648 AH / 1171–1250 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Egypt, Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Al-Jazira, Mayasin, Erbil
🪙 Properties of sugar
- "Starry" and "geometric" in the margins
- Sometimes a square-shaped dirham
- Full titles: “King Al-Nasir Salah Al-Din”
- Multiple housing centers due to family division
🪙 Examples
Saladin's Dinar
Egypt — Gold, “King Al-Nasir Yusuf”
Uncommon
square dirham
Rare form — square-shaped silver
rare
Egypt and the Levant
▼
Mamluk State
648–923 AH / 1250–1517 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Egypt (predominantly), Damascus, Aleppo, Karak, Tripoli, Hama
🪙 Distinctive characteristics of the coin
- The rūnūk: Sultans' emblems (Baybars' Lion, Qalawun's Bag, Al-Nasir's Arch)
- Beautiful bold Thuluth script
- Heavy gold dinar, silver dirham
- The Sharifian dinar in later stages
- Silver declined in the late period (copper abundance).
📝 Unique designs
Sultan Al-Malik Al-Zahir Baybars
With the lion symbol on the face
With the lion symbol on the face
Sultan Al-Malik Al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun
The longest reign — its currencies are plentiful
The longest reign — its currencies are plentiful
🪙 Typical examples
Dinar Baybars (Lion)
Gold, Egypt, Lion Ring — A Masterpiece
rare
Dirham Al-Nasser Muhammad
Silver/Copper — Abundant due to his three long reigns
common
Qaitbay's money
Copper — The final stage before the Ottomans
common
Egypt and the Levant
▼
The Zanjs
521–619 AH / 1127–1222 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Mosul, Aleppo, Sinjar, Nusaybin, Raqqa
🪙 Features
- Huge copper coins with quasi-Byzantine images (human, animal)
- The most important collection of image-bearing coins in Islamic art
- Silver dirhams with beautiful Kufic script
🪙 Examples
sitting phil
A massive copper statue — a seated ruler in the Byzantine style
Uncommon
Morocco and Andalusia
▼
Umayyad Andalusia
138–422 AH / 756–1031 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Cordoba (main), Medina (Andalusia), some fortresses
🪙 Features
- Dirhams and dinars of the finest and most precise minting in the Islamic world
- The “Abdel Rahmani” dinar is famous for its quality
- Taifa kings: Multiple cities and names on coins
- The title “Caliph” after Abd al-Rahman III
🪙 Examples
Dinar Abd al-Rahman III
Cordoba — Excellent gold, “Commander of the Faithful”
Uncommon
Dirham of the Kings of the Taifa
Great diversity — Seville, Granada, Valencia
Rare by city
Morocco and Andalusia
▼
The Almoravids
434–541 AH / 1040–1147 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Marrakesh, Aghmat, Fez, Sijilmasa, Cordoba (Andalusia), Almeria
🪙 Features
- “The Almoravid Dinar = The currency of international trade par excellence
- In Europe, it is used as ”Morabitino” and ”Maravedi”.”
- Pure gold from Ghana and Timbuktu
- The sequence of titles: “Amir al-Muslimin / Nasir al-Din”
📝 Unique designs
Commander of the Muslims / Nasir al-Din / Ali ibn Yusuf
Typical arrangement on the dinar
Typical arrangement on the dinar
🪙 Examples
Dinar Ali bin Yusuf
Marrakesh/Andalusia — their most common dinars
Relatively common
Morocco and Andalusia
▼
Unitarians
515–668 AH / 1121–1269 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Marrakesh, Seville, Tunis, Bejaia, Murcia, Fez, Rabat al-Fath
🪙 Unique Features
- square dirham — A unique Almohad innovation in critical art
- Writing Quranic verses on both sides
- The absence of a date in most editions
- The dinar is large in size and weight.
- Adopting religious unity as a slogan on currency
📝 Unique designs
There is no victor but God.
The basic Almohad emblem
The basic Almohad emblem
God is our Lord, Muhammad is our Prophet, the Mahdi is our Imam
For monotheists only — The Mahdist doctrine
For monotheists only — The Mahdist doctrine
🪙 Examples
square dirham
Silver — a distinctive shape unlike any other country
common
Morocco and Andalusia
▼
Marinids, Hafsids, and Zayyanids
610–982 AH / 1213–1574 AD
📍 Housing and Areas
- The Marinids: Fez, Marrakesh, Tlemcen
- The Hafsids: Tunis, Bejaia, Constantine
- The Zayyanids: Tlemcen, Oran
🪙 Features
- Large gold dinars with long Quranic verses
- Silver coinage declined while copper coinage rose.
- Various copper coins
- The Sultan's seal in some versions
Morocco and Andalusia
▼
The Saadians and the Alawite Sharifs
916–1800 AD+ / 1510–1800 AD+
📍 Al-Sak
Marrakech, Fez, Meknes, Essaouira, Salé
🪙 Features
- Gold and silver weights
- large copper coins
- The inscription “Al-Sharif” and the Prophetic lineage
- Starting printing instead of manual typing (late)
Morocco and Andalusia
▼
The Idrisids and the Aghlabids
172–395 AH / 789–1007 AD (Idrisids) | 184–296 AH / 800–909 AD (Aghlabids)
The Idrisids
- Minting in Volubilis and then Fez
- Dirhams bearing the name “Ali” — simplicity of design
- First independent state in Morocco
Aghlabids
- Minting in Raqqada, Kairouan and Tunis
- Dinars following the Abbasid style
- Byzantine influence on some coins
Iran and Central Asia
▼
The Samanids
204–395 AH / 819–1005 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Bukhara, Samarkand, Nishapur, Shash (Tashkent), Balkh, Herat, Merv
🪙 Features
- Huge dirhams (over 3g) of high-purity silver
- Beautiful early Persian Kufic script
- Trade with the Vikings — thousands of them have been found in Sweden!
- Production of large dirhams ceased after their collapse
🪙 Examples
Dirham Ismail Al-Samani
Bukhara — Silver 95%+, Bright Coffee
common
Iran and Central Asia
▼
The Buyids (Daylamites)
320–447 AH / 932–1055 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Baghdad, Ray, Shiraz, Istakhr, Ahvaz, Kerman, Mosul
🪙 Features
- The multiplicity and diversity of Persian titles: “Shahanshah”, “King of Kings”
- Early Twelver Shi'a traditions
- Control over the Abbasid Caliph — but his memory remains on the coins
- The quality of silver declined in later editions.
Iran and Central Asia
▼
The Ghaznavids
367–582 AH / 977–1186 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Ghazni (main), Lahore, Kandahar, Herat, Nishapur
🪙 Historical characteristics
- First Islamic coins in India
- Some are bilingual: Arabic + Sanskrit (to facilitate transactions)
- The title “Sultan” was the first in Islamic history to appear on coins.
- High-quality gold dinars and silver dirhams
🪙 Examples
Dinar Mahmud of Ghazni
Ghazni — “Sultan Yamin al-Dawla Mahmud”
Uncommon
Bilingual Dirham
Lahore — Arabic/Sanskrit — Rare and interesting
rare
Iran and Central Asia
▼
The Seljuks (the elders and their branches)
429–590 AH / 1037–1194 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Nishapur, Rayy, Merv, Herat, Isfahan, Baghdad, sometimes Cairo, Asia Minor
🪙 Features
- Long titles: “The Great Sultan Malikshah”
- Pale gold dinars (gold/silver alloy) sometimes
- Branches: Seljuk of Rum (Konya), Kerman, Syria, Iraq
- Each branch has its own mint.
Iran and Central Asia
▼
The Khwarezmshahs and the later Seljuks
470–628 AH / 1077–1231 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Khwarazm, Samarkand, Bukhara, Nishapur, Urgench, Ghazni
🪙 Features
- The Abbasid Caliph openly challenged the currency.
- The title “Sultan of the World”
- The last large dirhams before the Mongol invasion
Iran and Central Asia
▼
The Ilkhanids (Mongols of Iran)
654–736 AH / 1256–1335 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Tabriz, Baghdad, Maragheh, Isfahan, Shiraz, Kerman, Moghan
🪙 Features
- Buddhist and Mongolian names in early versions
- After converting to Islam: The name “Allah” and Islamic traditions
- Mongolian geometric patterns
- The large minted dirham “dinari”
- Mongolian tamgha (geometric style)
🪙 Examples
Dinar Ghazan
First Muslim Khan — Important monetary reform
Uncommon
Iran and Central Asia
▼
Timurids
771–913 AH / 1370–1507 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Samarkand, Herat, Balkh, Kesh, Shiraz, Isfahan, Tehran
🪙 Features
- The pinnacle of the Persian Nasta'liq script on coins
- “Timur Lenk” and ”Gurkan” (Genghis Khan’s son-in-law)
- Timurid tamga: a distinctive geometric symbol
- Finely crafted and beautiful silver dirhams
Iran and Central Asia
▼
Safavid State
907–1148 AH / 1501–1736 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Isfahan, Tabriz, Herat, Mashhad, Qazvin, Yazd, Shiraz, Kerman
🪙 Extremely important characteristics
- “Al-Abbasi” — A very common heavy silver coin (7.68g)
- The names of the twelve Imams are in the margin.
- The official Shiite symbol on the state currency
- The exquisite Persian Nasta'liq script
- Dates in Persian script
📝 Unique designs
Banda Shah and Layet Shah Abbas
Servant of the Master of the State — Shah Abbas
Servant of the Master of the State — Shah Abbas
Ali is the Wali of Allah / The Twelve Imams
The distinctive Shiite margin
The distinctive Shiite margin
🪙 Examples
Abbasi Shah Abbas I
Heavy silver, Isfahan — the most common and beautiful
common
Golden Toman
Pure gold, various sizes
Uncommon
Islamic India
▼
Delhi Sultanates (Mamluks, Khaljis, Tughluqs, Lodis)
602–932 AH / 1206–1526 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Delhi (Main), Lahore, Daulatabad, Lucknow, Bangla, Multan
🪙 Features
- Great variety: gold (tin), silver (tin), copper (jet)
- Indian weights differ from Islamic standards.
- Delicate Arabic inscriptions with occasional Indian symbols
- The Abbasid Caliph is mentioned up to 1258 AD, then disappears.
🪙 Examples
Tin of gold, Iltmish
The first sole sultan — Delhi — a rare find
rare
Muhammad bin Taghlaq's silver tin
The famous leather coin experiment — but the silver one remains
common
Islamic India
▼
Mughal Empire (Mughal of India)
932–1200 AH / 1526–1800 AD
📍 Housing Centers
Agra, Lahore, Dehli, Allahabad, Ahmedabad, Bangla, Burhanpur, Surat
🪙 Exceptional characteristics
- “Heavy silver ”rupee” (11.5g) — the basis of the Indian monetary system
- “Mohor” Gold — Weight 10.7g
- Zodiac coins: Jahangir strikes coins with the zodiac signs — very rare
- Animal coins: squirrel, elephant, tiger on some versions
- Persian poetry on some of the coins of Akbar and Jahangir
📝 Unique designs
Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar / Padshah Ghazi
Face — Classic style
Face — Classic style
Nur ad-Din Jahangir Shah Akbar Shah
Jahangir — The Father and Grandfather Series
Jahangir — The Father and Grandfather Series
🪙 Examples
larger rupee
Agra/Lahore — High-quality silver, exquisite calligraphy
common
Mohur Jahangir
Gold — some of it in the image of the emperor himself!
rare
Gemini rupee
Jahangir — 12 Astronomical Coins — A Rare Masterpiece
Very rare
Aurangzeb rupee
Abundant — the last of the greatest emperors — varying quality
common
Islamic India
▼
Deccan Sultanates (Bahmanid, Adil Shah, Qutb Shah)
748–1100 AH / 1347–1700 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Baidar, Bijapur, Hyderabad, Ahmadnagar, Golkanda, Berar
🪙 Features
- Huge variety of shapes and weights
- The Bahmanis: Influenced by the Abbasid and Mongol styles
- Al-Adil Shahion (Bijapur): Clear Safavid influence — Shi'a
- Qutb Shah (Golconda): Famous for diamond production there
Anatolia and the Ottomans
▼
Seljuks of Rum and the Anatolian Emirates
470–700 AH / 1077–1300 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Konya, Sivas, Erzincan, Malatya, Diyarbakir (Artuks), Mardin
🪙 Features
- Various silver dirhams and copper coins
- The Artuqians: Huge sums of money featuring images combining Byzantine and Islamic symbols
- Danishmendians: Greek and Arabic inscriptions on some editions
- Late Emirates: Taqaa, Qarman, Jarmian — Rare Editions
Anatolia and the Ottomans
▼
The Ottoman Empire (until 1800 AD)
699–1215 AH / 1299–1800 AD
📍 Main Cities Centers
Constantinople/Istanbul, Edirne, Bursa, Anadolu Hisarı, Egypt, Damascus, Baghdad, Tabriz, Belgrade, Algiers, Tunis, Abu Qir
🪙 Currencies and Systems
- Aqja: The small silver — the foundation of the early Ottoman system
- Al-Mishan/Al-Sultani: Classic Ottoman gold
- The bar: Small copper for everyday transactions
- The tughra: The Sultan's handwritten signature — the most distinguished
- Sharks: It appeared in the 17th century AD
- Hundreds of different versions for each sultan
📝 Unique engravings and patterns
Sultan Suleiman Khan bin Selim Khan / Glory of his victory
Suleiman the Magnificent's Tughra
Suleiman the Magnificent's Tughra
It was struck in Constantinople in the year…
Standard Ottoman multiplication formula
Standard Ottoman multiplication formula
🪙 Typical examples
Akça Suleiman the Magnificent
Small silver — the most produced in Ottoman history
common
Sultan Selim I
Gold — after the conquest of Egypt — was rare and in demand
rare
Sultan Ahmed III's coins
Large silver coin — 18th century — clear engravings
common
Iran and Central Asia
▼
The Karakoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu (Turkmen)
780–914 AH / 1378–1508 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Mosul
🪙 Features
- Karakoyunlu: The symbol of the black sheep
- Aq Qoyunlu: The symbol of the white sheep
- Mixed Turkish-Persian patterns
Iran and Central Asia
▼
The Jallairians
736–840 AH / 1336–1436 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Baghdad, Tabriz, Mosul, Wasit, Basra
🪙 Features
- Continuation of the evolving Ilkhanid style
- Beautiful gold dirhams and tomans
- The miniature art of their era influenced the decorations.
Iran and Central Asia
▼
The Shaybanids and the Khanates of Uzbekistan and Crimea
906–1200 AH / 1500–1800 AD
📍 Al-Sak
Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, Khiva, Kaffa (Crimea), Bakhchisarai
🪙 Features
- The Shaybanids: Heirs of the Timurids in Central Asia
- Crimean Khanates: Partially under Ottoman rule
- Silver dirhams and copper tenga
Arabian Peninsula and Yemen
▼
The Yemeni states (Zaydis, Rasulids, Sulayhids)
200–1000 AD / 815–1600 AD
The Apostles
- Minting in Zabid, Aden and Sana'a
- Gold dinars bearing a series of titles
- The longest and most cash-rich country in Yemen
Zaydis
- Clear Alawite/Zaydi traditions
- Relatively simple design
- Continued into the modern era
Complete anatomy and professional evaluation
A professional guide to understanding the anatomy of Islamic coinage, international valuation standards, and how to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit.
🔬coin dissection
There is no god but Allah
──────
Muhammad is the Messenger of God
──────
Baghdad 150 AH
──────
Muhammad is the Messenger of God
──────
Baghdad 150 AH
outer margin
Face Center
| The term | Definition | What you find there |
|---|---|---|
| The face (Obverse) | Main side | The testimony or the name of the Caliph |
| Back (Reverse) | The second side | Surah Al-Ikhlas or the margin |
| Center (Field) | Central text/ornament | The most important part of the identification |
| Margin | outer circular text | History, City, Caliph |
| Edge | cut side | Cut with a scalpel or roundabout |
| The traditional | approved religious text | The testimony, Surah Al-Ikhlas |
| Rank | The ruler's motto | Primarily for the Mamluks |
| The tughra | Sultan's handwritten signature | Specific to the Ottomans |
| cliché | Discussion template | Its condition affects the quality of the sugar. |
🏅Global Grading Scale
| The symbol | the name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MS 60-70 | Mint State | It was never traded, the printing press's shine was complete. |
| EF / AU | About Uncirculated | Very simple trading, 95%+ details |
| XF 40-45 | Extremely Fine | Slight erosion at the tops, sharp details |
| VF 20-35 | Very Fine | Eat moderately; the text is fully legible. |
| F 12-15 | Fine | Erosion is obvious, the margins may be blurry. |
| VG 8-10 | Very Good | Large size, main features are clear |
| G 4-6 | Good | Consumed, the text is partially readable |
| AG 1-3 | About Good | It is barely recognizable |
⚠️ For Islamic coins: The absence of the center or a broken edge drastically reduces the value, even if the overall condition is good.
🔎Factors that increase or decrease value
| worker | Increases ✅ | Missing ❌ |
|---|---|---|
| Center | Complete and readable | Lost or missing |
| Margin | Complete circle | Partially cut |
| History | Clearly | Lost or partial |
| Mint House | Nadera (Sivas, Tripoli) | Rumor (Egypt, Damascus) |
| The instrument | Strong and well-positioned | weak or displaced |
| Chinese (Patina) | Beautiful natural tray | aggressive cleaning |
| the weight | Full category weight | Edge trimming (cutting) |
| Scarcity | Limited Edition | Abundant production |
Distinguishing between genuine and fake
✅ Signs of authenticity
- The correct weight is within ±0.1g of the standard.
- Natural tray (varies according to the method of burial)
- Traces of manual hammering: slight displacement, imperfect shape
- Sharpness in the details of the letters from the inside out
- Sometimes multiple overlapping strikes (Double Strike)
- Specific gravity is correct (water test)
- UV fluorescence analysis
❌ Indicators of forgery
- Incorrect weight or low density
- Circular separation lines (indicate mold casting)
- Bubbles or porosity on the surface
- Artificially blurred or blunt letters
- Artificial tray (chemical smell)
- Details are identical to another copy (replica).
- An error in the font style of the alleged era
Distinctive historical coinage patterns
| style | State | Optical properties | How do you know him? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Umayyad Dinar | The Umayyads 77 AH+ | Round, simple coffee style, no images | The simplest and oldest purely Islamic style |
| Arabized Sasanian dirham | The Rightly Guided Caliphs/Early Umayyads | Sasanian face + “In the name of God” | Image of Khosrau with Arabic text |
| Dinar of the three rings | Fatimids | Writing in episodes + break episodes | The three episodes in the margin |
| square dirham | Unitarians | A square or square inside a circle | The square shape is unique to them only |
| The Artaqi philosophy | The Artuqians | Human/Animal Image + Arabic | The largest and heaviest Islamic coins |
| Ottoman tughra | Ottomans | The Sultan's ornate handwritten signature | It is unlike any other pattern |
| Abbasid Safavid | Safavids | Heavy silver + Nastaliq + Imams | Heavyweight + Persian script |
| Mongolian Rupee | Mughals of India | Large silver 11g+, fine Arabic/Persian script | The size and weight are distinctive. |
Sources, tools, and figures
Everything you need in terms of calculation tools, resources, and professional references to determine your age and read dates accurately.
🔢 Arabic numerals (Indian/Ghubari) — used on coins
٠
0
١
1
٢
2
٣
3
٤
4
٥
5
٦
6
٧
7
٨
8
٩
9
Example: 1150 AH is read → 1150 AH | 329 AH → 329 AH | 767 AH → 767 AH
📅 Islamic months on coins
| month | His number | month | His number | month | His number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muharram | ١ | Rabi' al-Awwal | ٣ | Jumada al-Ula | ٥ |
| zero | ٢ | Rabi' al-Thani | ٤ | Jumada al-Akhirah | ٦ |
| Rajab | ٧ | Shaaban | ٨ | Ramadan | ٩ |
| Shawwal | 10 | Dhu al-Qi'dah | 11 | Dhu al-Hijjah | 12 |
🗓️ Conversion calculator: Hijri ↔ Gregorian
🌐 International professional references and sources
Zeno.ru
Eastern Numismatics Database — The Largest Illustrated Reference
Numista
World Currency Catalog — Search and Identify
Coinoscope
AI-powered visual recognition
Islamic Coins Auctions
Specialized auctions for Islamic coins
Stephen Album Checklist
The world's leading reference for Islamic numismatics
Lavoix Catalogue
Classical Index of Islamic Coins
Walker Catalogue
British Museum Catalogue of Islamic Coins
Broome / Nicol
Specialized references for Indian and Persian coinage
📖 Dictionary of Critical Terms
DinarThe basic Islamic gold currency (from the Latin dinar)
DirhamIslamic silver currency (from the Greek drachma)
filsCopper currency for everyday transactions (from the Opulus)
TinIndian silver or gold currency unit (Seljuks-Mongols)
rupeeLarge silver coin of India (Mughal India and later)
AkçaThe small early Ottoman silver coin (one-third of a dirham)
sharkA late Ottoman silver unit, which replaced the akçe
TughraThe ornate calligraphic signature of the Ottoman Sultan
RankMamluk heraldry emblem/symbol on coins
A sayingAn approved religious text is inscribed on coins.
SkThe process of minting currency, and the place where it is minted.
TrayNatural oxidation layer on metals (patina)
TamghaA Mongolian/Turkish geometric symbol that distinguishes the ruling family
GettelA small copper coin in Islamic India
MohorThe great gold of Mughal India
TumanGolden unity of the Safavid and Ilkhanid empires
coinGenerally minted coins
front/backThe two main sides of the coin (obverse/reverse)
