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£100.00
House of Emirates® in London is thrilled to offer its elite clientele this distinguished Umayyad silver dirham, struck at the renowned Wasit mint in 93 AH (711–712 AD) during the reign of Caliph Al-Walid I, one of the most consequential rulers of the Umayyad dynasty. Measuring 25 mm in diameter and weighing 2.58 g, this early Islamic silver coins represents a remarkable surviving witness to an era when the Umayyad Caliphate was consolidating its political authority, expanding its administrative reach, and establishing a distinctive monetary identity across vast territories. For investors in ancient monetary heritage, this Umayyad dirham offers a tangible connection to the formative decades of Islamic coinage.
Al-Walid I ruled from 86 to 96 AH (705–715 AD), a period associated with extraordinary territorial expansion, monumental architecture, and the strengthening of Umayyad administration. Under his reign, the caliphate extended its influence across regions stretching from the western Mediterranean to Central Asia. The Great Mosque of Damascus, one of the most celebrated monuments of early Islamic civilisation, was also constructed during this period. In the monetary sphere, the Umayyads developed a recognisably Islamic coinage system that moved away from earlier Byzantine and Sasanian-inspired designs.
Islamic Silver dirhams carried Arabic inscriptions rather than imperial portraits, placing religious declarations and official legends at the heart of the coin’s design. This transformation was more than an artistic change: it reflected the emergence of a confident imperial identity expressed through currency used in trade, taxation, and everyday economic life.
The Wasit mint holds particular historical importance in this story. Founded in Iraq by the Umayyad governor Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf during the reign of Caliph Abd al-Malik, Wasit became a major administrative and monetary centre. Its silver dirhams formed part of a monetary network that supported commerce and state finance throughout the eastern territories of the caliphate. The bold Arabic calligraphy, concentric borders, and inscription-led composition characteristic of Umayyad dirhams give these coins their distinctive visual authority.
Struck more than thirteen centuries ago, this example embodies the enduring legacy of an empire whose political, cultural, and monetary influence shaped the medieval Islamic world. House of Emirates® presents this historic silver dirham as an exceptional opportunity to acquire an authentic artefact of the Umayyad era, combining historical significance, early Islamic numismatic importance, and the enduring appeal of ancient silver.
