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£200.00
House of Emirates® in London is thrilled to offer its elite clientele this majestic silver dirham from the Caliphate of Córdoba, struck in 350 AH (961–962 AD) under Abd al-Rahman III, the first Umayyad ruler of Córdoba to assume the prestigious title of caliph. Issued at Madinat al-Zahra, the magnificent palace-city near Córdoba, this historic coin embodies the political ambition, intellectual brilliance, and artistic sophistication of Muslim Spain at the height of its power.
Weighing 2.39 g and measuring 23 mm in diameter, this silver dirham is a tangible relic of an extraordinary civilisation whose influence shaped the history of medieval Europe and the wider Islamic world. It bears a very slight radial crack, a characteristic condition detail that does not affect the readability of its inscriptions.
Abd al-Rahman III ruled from 300 to 350 AH (912–961 AD), transforming Córdoba into one of the most formidable political and cultural centres of the western Mediterranean. In 316 AH (929 AD), he proclaimed himself caliph, asserting the independence and prestige of the Andalusian Umayyad state in a world shaped by competing caliphates. His reign witnessed diplomatic engagement, administrative consolidation, military campaigns, and the flourishing of scholarship, architecture, medicine, mathematics, and philosophy. Córdoba became renowned for its urban sophistication, libraries, learning, and monumental buildings.
Andalusian Silver dirhams played an essential role in this prosperous society, circulating through markets and commercial networks while carrying the official inscriptions of the ruling authority. Their carefully arranged Arabic legends expressed both the religious foundations of Islamic government and the authority of the caliph whose name and titles appeared on the coinage.
The mint of Madinat al-Zahra gives this dirham particular historical resonance. Founded by Abd al-Rahman III in the early tenth century, the extraordinary palace-city was conceived as a monumental expression of caliphal authority and dynastic prestige. Its ceremonial halls, administrative buildings, gardens, and refined architectural decoration reflected the sophistication of the Córdoba court.
Coins struck there connect the monetary history of al-Andalus directly to this celebrated centre of power. More than ten centuries later, this dirham preserves the legacy of a civilisation whose achievements remain among the defining chapters of medieval Islamic history. For investors in authentic historical treasures, it offers an opportunity to acquire an original silver artefact associated with Abd al-Rahman III, the Caliphate of Córdoba, and the remarkable world of Madinat al-Zahra. Its inscriptions, silver fabric, and documented historical setting make it a compelling addition to a portfolio devoted to enduring cultural heritage.
