The Journey of Money in Egypt Through the Ages
The exhibition revolves around the journey of money in Egypt, a 2,500-year history spanning from the first coin minted during the Achaemenid era, through the drachmas and staters issued by the Ptolemies, the gold dinars and copper coins issued by the Byzantines and Romans, the silver dirhams issued by the Sasanians, and continuing through the Arab period to the modern era. This highlights the enduring nature of the concept of the continuity and circulation of money in Egypt. Egyptian currency also serves as a visual record of the development of calligraphy and writing, as the evolution of writing on its surfaces paralleled the advancements and sophistication achieved by Egyptian calligraphers and artists in their respective fields.
The exhibition is divided into two sections: the first, in collaboration with the Center for Calligraphic Studies at the Library of Alexandria, features photographic displays of the most important collections of coins circulating in Egypt throughout history. A unique and rare selection of coins was chosen from the collections of the Rare Books Library at the Library of Alexandria, the Museum of the Faculty of Arts at Alexandria University, and the Museum of Islamic Art. The second section of the exhibition includes important collections of recently minted coins, presented in collaboration with the Egyptian Mint.
A scientific seminar will be held on the sidelines of the exhibition at 1:00 PM, in which a select group of distinguished researchers in the field of the history of coins and Islamic arts will lecture. This scientific seminar will be chaired by Professor Dr. Gamal Abdel Rahim, Professor of Islamic Archaeology and Arts, Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University.
It is worth mentioning that this exhibition was hosted in its first edition from January 19 to January 24, 2020, in the Eastern Exhibition Hall at the Conference Center of the Library of Alexandria, in cooperation with the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo and the Educational Museum of Antiquities at the Faculty of Arts, the Museum of Antiquities and Manuscripts, and with the participation of experts in Egyptian currency.
