Obverse. Photo © NumisBids
  • 1 Dinar 788-792 AD, Album# 218.7, Egypt, Harun al-Rashid
  • 1 Dinar 788-792 AD, Album# 218.7, Egypt, Harun al-Rashid
Description

The Abbasid Caliphate (Arabic: الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from the prophet's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes its name. They ruled as caliphs for most of the caliphate from their capital in Baghdad in modern-day Iraq, after having overthrown the Umayyad Caliphate in the Abbasid Revolution of 750 CE (132 AH). The Abbasid Caliphate first centered its government in Kufa, modern-day Iraq, but in 762 the caliph Al-Mansur founded the city of Baghdad, near the ancient Babylonian capital city of Babylon. Baghdad became the center of science, culture and invention in what became known as the Golden Age of Islam. This, in addition to housing several key academic institutions, including the House of Wisdom, as well as a multiethnic and multi-religious environment, garnered it a worldwide reputation as the "Center of Learning".

Abu Ja'far Harun ibn Muhammad al-Mahdi (Arabic: أبو جعفر هارون ابن محمد المهدي) or Harun ibn al-Mahdi (Arabic: هَارُون ابْنِ ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, c. 763 or 766 – 809), famously known as Harun al-Rashid (Arabic: هَارُون الرَشِيد, romanized: Hārūn al-Rashīd) was the fifth Abbasid caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate, reigning from September 786 until his death. His reign is traditionally regarded to be the beginning of the Islamic Golden Age. His epithet "al-Rashid" translates to "the Orthodox", "the Just", "the Upright", or "the Rightly-Guided".

Portions of the fictional One Thousand and One Nights are set in Harun's court and some of its stories involve Harun himself. Harun's life and court have been the subject of many other tales, both factual and fictitious.

Obverse

Depicts the inscriptions in Arabic “There is no god but God alone / He has no associate / Muhammad is the Messenger of God” and “He sent him with guidance and the true religion to make it victorious over every religion.”

لا اله الا
الله وحده
لا شريك له
محمد رسول الله ارسله بالهدى ودين الحق ليظهره على الدين كله

Reverse

Depicts the inscriptions in Arabic "Muhammad is the Messenger of God”, "MUSA" (Musa bin Isa), and "In the name of God. This dinar was struck in the year 171."

Mūsā ibn ʿĪsā ibn Mūsā al-Hāshimī (Arabic: موسى بن عيسى بن موسى بن محمد بن علي بن عبد الله بن العباس) was an 8th century AD Abbasid prince. The son of Isa ibn Musa, he was posted to various governorships throughout his career, including Kufa, Egypt, Damascus, Mecca, Medina, and Arminiya, and was a leading commander at the Battle of Fakhkh.

Under Harun Musa had three stints as governor of Egypt, in 787–789, 791–792, and 795–796. During his first governorship, he reversed the anti-Christian edicts of his predecessor Ali ibn Sulayman al-Hashimi and allowed the Copts to rebuild the churches that Ali had ordered destroyed. His time in Egypt was otherwise relatively uneventful, although his second governorship was brought to an end after Harun received complaints about his conduct in the province. Various dates are given for Musa's death, including 799 (at the age of 55), 803, and 805.

محمد
رسول
الله
موسى
بسم الله ضرب هذا الدينار سنة احدى و سبعون و مئة

Edge
Characteristics
Material Gold
Fineness 0.833
Weight 4.01 g
Diameter -
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Misr Mint

Related coins

Gold, 3.83 g

Gold, 4.16 g

Gold, 4.17 g