King Offa's Coin

There resides in the British Museum in London, one of the most intriguing gold coins ever minted. It was bought in Rome about a hundred years ago and this is important when considering the purpose of the coin.

The gold coin of Offa, king of Mercia [England, 757-796 AD], is a unique object because it imitates a gold dinar of the caliph al-Mansur. Although the Arabic inscription is not copied perfectly, the declaration that ‘There is no Deity but Allah, The One, Without Equal, and Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah,’ is clear.

2 thoughts on “King Offa's Coin

    1. cleek Post author

      and my iPhone just shuffled-up a Decembrists’ tune when i clicked over here.

      the universe is trying to tell me something.

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