Coins struck at Baghdad
2 catalogued coins and notes attributed to Baghdad, with weights, legends, dates and Wikimedia-sourced images across Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic, Timurid & Safavid.
In short
Baghdad, founded in 762 CE as the Abbasid capital, was the central mint of the caliphate and the reference point for the gold dinar and silver dirham standards that governed Islamic Iran. Baghdad is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 2 coins and notes struck between 684 CE – 1286 CE. Its output here covers Gold, Silver in the Dinar denominations, issued under Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid), Timur (Tamerlane).
- Catalogued
- 2
- Eras
- 2
- Metals
- 2
- Denominations
- 1
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 2 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 684 CE – 1286 CE |
| Eras represented | Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic, Timurid & Safavid |
| Metals | Gold, Silver |
| Denominations | Dinar |
| Issuers | Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid), Timur (Tamerlane) |
| Founded | 762 CE |
| Mint signature | Madinat al-Salam |
| Standards | Dinar ≈4.25 g gold, dirham ≈2.9 g silver |
| Caliphal series ends | Mongol conquest, 1258 |
Madinat al-Salam
Abbasid dinars and dirhams from the capital — often signed Madinat al-Salam, 'City of Peace' — set the design template followed from Nishapur to al-Andalus: purely epigraphic faces, the shahada, the caliph's name, mint and Hijri date in a marginal legend.
Coins from Harun al-Rashid's reign onward add the names of heirs, viziers and governors, turning the coinage into a running record of court politics. Reading those secondary names is the core skill of Abbasid attribution.
Later Baghdad issues
Buyid and Seljuq overlords continued to strike at Baghdad while nominally acknowledging the caliph, so the coins carry a layered sovereignty — caliph, sultan and local ruler named together.
The Mongol sack of 1258 ends the caliphal series; Ilkhanid and later Jalayirid and Timurid issues from the city belong to a different monetary world, dated by Ilkhanid administrative reform rather than caliphal precedent.
Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic · 651 – 1258 CE
Era overview →Timurid & Safavid · 1370 – 1736 CE
Era overview →Frequently asked about Baghdad
- What does Madinat al-Salam mean on a coin?
- 'City of Peace' — the official name of Baghdad, used as the mint signature on Abbasid gold and silver.
- How are Abbasid coins dated?
- By the Hijri year written out in words in the marginal legend, together with the caliph's name and the names of heirs or officials in the field.
- What coins were struck at Baghdad?
- Baghdad is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 2 coins and notes struck between 684 CE – 1286 CE. Its output here covers Gold, Silver in the Dinar denominations, issued under Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid), Timur (Tamerlane).
- How many Baghdad pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 2 items, dated 684 CE – 1286 CE, spread across 2 eras: Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic, Timurid & Safavid.
- Which metals were used for Baghdad coinage?
- Gold, Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Which denominations are associated with Baghdad?
- Dinar. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.