A Fals From Kilwa Kisiwani
It is often the small, inconspicuous coins that tell fascinating stories: for example, a fals from the ruined city of Kilwa Kisiwani in present-day Tanzania. Follow Claire Franklin on her adventurous research.
Akbar – Ruler of the Mughal Empire Part 2
Akbar ruled over an empire on the Indian subcontinent. Administering it was a daunting task, and Akbar introduced loads of reforms. Read on to find out how the outstanding skills of his mathematicians helped him, and what this has to do with his coinage!
Akbar – Ruler of the Mughal Empire Part 1
The Muslim Akbar founded a world empire in which people of different religions lived together peacefully. How did this come about and what challenges did the ruler have to overcome to get there? And, most importantly: what can coins tell us about it?
…This Was My Own Innovation. It Had Never Been Done Before.
A few days after completing the 12th year of his reign, Mughal Emperor Jahangir had a series of twelve gold mohurs minted. They feature the twelve zodiac signs. In its auction 11, auction house Numismatica Genevensis SA is able to present the largest ensemble of coins from this series that has ever been on offer.
The Most Expensive Islamic Coin
It is not only one of the rarest Islamic coins in the world, it is also said to be the most expensive one ever to be sold in an auction. As this type sold even twice for £3.72 million, it certainly must be added to the CoinsWeekly Coin Records.
Mausoleum of Suleiman the Magnificent’s heart discovered
He is considered as one of the most powerful rulers of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Suleiman I, nicknamed The Magnificent. In the south of Hungary, archaeologists have now found what appears to be the mausoleum where his heart had been buried.
Freedom for Algeria – The Fate of Abd el-Kader
Standing in the middle of the Château d’Amboise garden on the Loire is a Muslim cemetery from the 19th century. Here, the followers of Algerian freedom fighter Abd el-Kader were buried with honour. What brought them to this place is a story that begs telling.
The first Islamic gold coin in history
A devout Moslem, a confident Christ and the first written testimony for the Islamic creed – these are the ingredients of a really exciting story…
The Turks at the gates of Vienna!
Künker Auction 289 will offer coins and medals bringing to mind the quarrel about the legacy of Louis of Hungary and the first Siege of Vienna. They form part of Ottoman Collection featuring coins referring to the difficult relation between the Ottoman Empire and the Occident.
Items found: Carsten Niebuhr reports on treasure troves in wild Kurdistan
In the service of the King of Denmark, Carsten Niebuhr (1733-1815) travelled through the Orient from 1761 to 1767. His main goal was to prove the Bible right after all. To us numismatists, however, other parts of his report are much more intriguing nowadays.
