Sharjah: Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, has initiated a scholarly endeavor to document an exceptional collection of Islamic coins located in the Sforzesco Castle in Milan. The collection boasts 1,103 coins from various periods, including the oldest known Arab-Islamic dinar, dated 77 AH. This initiative seeks to re-evaluate the economic and cultural transitions that have significantly influenced the identity of Islamic civilization and its historical impact.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, this collection is one of the rarest of its kind found outside the Arab world, garnering the interest of researchers and historians globally. It provides a unique resource for examining the development of monetary and administrative systems within Islamic civilization. The collection remained largely untouched in a museum within the castle for decades, without the comprehensive study and documentation that reflect its historical importance.
The initiative is backed by the Sharjah Book Authority and the Arab Cultural Institute at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan. The goal is to revive Islamic heritage in Italy and make it available to researchers. The coins originate from various Islamic regions across different historical periods, positioning this collection as the largest compared to similar ones in Arab and European museums. It serves as a crucial scientific resource for understanding the history of monetary and administrative systems, as well as the economy and trade during the golden age of Islamic civilization. Additionally, it facilitates the exploration of the spread of Islamic cultural heritage across different cultures and continents.
Among the coins is the oldest known Arab-Islamic dinar, dated 77 AH, minted by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan following the Arabization of currency in Damascus. This event marked a significant turning point in the economic and cultural identity of the Umayyad Caliphate and Islamic civilization. The dinar, weighing 4.25 grams of pure gold, signifies a pivotal moment in Islamic currency history as the monetary system transitioned from Byzantine coins to a currency with a distinct Arab identity. This transformation reflects the evolution of the Islamic economy during that era. The diversity of minting centers represented in the collection offers insights into trade, cultural dissemination, and civilizational exchange throughout various Islamic periods.