1media/Distribution of dinars in England_thumb.jpg2022-12-16T00:03:50-08:00John Fashekfb51963a6074e27621a5e4414af6de61acf21972394471Distribution of late eleventh- to twelfth-century Islamic gold coins in England (image: C. R. Green)plain2022-12-16T00:03:51-08:00John Fashekfb51963a6074e27621a5e4414af6de61acf21972
This page is referenced by:
12022-06-16T12:46:48-07:00Where did this go?8plain2023-01-14T14:03:46-08:00By John Fashek '23
This coin may have traveled throughout the Mediterranean, across Europe, or into Asia, as gold dinars were a fundamental component of trade and commerce. Due to their high standard of fineness and quality, Islamic dinars were widely appreciated throughout the medieval period.
As seen in this map, Islamic gold coins from the eleventh and twelfth centuries have been found throughout England. It is possible that crusaders brought these coins back with them, knowing them to be of significant value. These coins also made their way to England through commerce, as Islamic merchants were known to engage in trade across long distances. The number of Islamic gold coins discovered in England further highlights their value.
Moreover, across Europe, coins with Islamic inscriptions had positive associations due to the prestige of gold dinars. Gold dinars were often imitated and reproduced and became "the dominant coinage in the Mediterranean" (British Library). The coin shown here is an English-made imitation of an Abbasid dinar. This coin was first found in Rome and believed to have been a gift from the English king Offa (r. 757– 796) whose name in Latin it also bears ("OFFA REX"), along with Arabic text. It is reasonable to assume some imitations of Islamic coins were minted in England and then used as alms or diplomatic gifts to Rome.
