Abbasid Caliphate Bronze Fals (about 1,270-770 years ago)

Bronze fals issued under the Abbasid Caliphate, the dynasty that ruled from Baghdad during the height of the Islamic Golden Age. Spanning from 750 to 1258 CE, the Abbasid era transformed Baghdad into one of the most intellectually vibrant cities of the medieval world.

Unlike earlier Byzantine or Sasanian coinage, Abbasid coins emphasized inscriptions rather than figural imagery. The obverse typically bears the Shahada in elegant Kufic script — “There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” — often accompanied by mint and date information in the Islamic Hijri calendar. The reverse names the reigning caliph and may include additional Qur’anic phrases arranged in concentric inscriptions. The flowing, angular Kufic calligraphy reflects both religious devotion and artistic refinement.

The bronze fals served as everyday small change across a vast empire stretching from North Africa to Central Asia. During this period, Baghdad’s famed House of Wisdom fostered advancements in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy, preserving and expanding upon Greek, Persian, and Indian knowledge.

Though the Mongol sack of Baghdad in 1258 ended Abbasid political dominance in the city, the dynasty’s religious authority endured in other regions.

This bronze coin stands as a tangible remnant of a civilization that shaped global science, scholarship, and culture for centuries.

Note: Coins shown are representative examples of the grade and style. You will receive a coin consistent with the stated type.