Dinar of al-Muqtadir, Misr 915 - 916

Editor: This is a Dinar of al-Muqtadir from Misr. The coin is, unsurprisingly, gold. The inscriptions are quite intricate, but what strikes me most is how this small object signifies vast economic and political power. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The Dinar’s gold composition speaks to the control of resources and trade routes. Consider the labor extracted from the earth to create this coin. The coin’s very existence challenges boundaries between art and craft, documenting a system of social relations. Editor: So, it's more than just currency? Curator: Precisely. It’s a material record of power, production, and consumption within a specific historical context. Each coin narrates a story of material extraction, artistic crafting, and economic exchange. Editor: That perspective really enriches my understanding of this seemingly simple object. Curator: Indeed. By looking at its materials and processes, we gain insight into the society that produced it.