Umayyad Dinar

One of the most striking features of the Umayyad Dinar from Al-Andalus is its unwavering gold purity, often exceeding 95 percent, which allowed it to circulate seamlessly from Cordoba to Baghdad.

These coins were struck on small, carefully weighed planchets, typically around 4.25 grams, drawing directly from Byzantine precedents. Inscriptions in elegant Kufic script named the ruling caliph and the mint, like the one in Cordoba, emphasizing Islamic authority in a Christian-dominated region. We don't know the exact annual production figures, as records from that era are scarce.

Variations appeared over the two centuries of minting, from early designs under Abd al-Malik to later ones reflecting local styles. Some show faint overstrikes from recycled metals, hinting at pragmatic reuse.

As for myths, the idea that every dinar was a work of art is overblown; most were functional trade pieces. They held their value well, though.