Abbasid Caliphate – Silver Dirham, struck in Samarqand in 201 AH (816/817 AD) under Caliph al-Ma’mun (813–833 AD). This coin was minted in Samarqand, one of the oldest and most important cities of Central Asia — today part of Uzbekistan. In the early 9th century, Samarqand was a thriving center of culture, science, and trade along the Silk Road, connecting the Abbasid Caliphate with China and the East. The coin was issued during the reign of Caliph al-Ma’mun, one of the most influential rulers of the Abbasid dynasty. Al-Ma’mun was known as a patron of learning and philosophy; under his rule, the Abbasid Empire experienced a remarkable intellectual and scientific renaissance, symbolized by the founding of the Bayt al-Hikma (“House of Wisdom”) in Baghdad. Dirhams from Samarqand are particularly significant because they represent the easternmost mints of the Abbasid Empire — coins that once circulated among merchants, scholars, and travelers who crossed the vast Silk Road. Each coin is a genuine witness to the golden age of Islamic civilization in Central Asia. Mint: Samarqand (modern Uzbekistan) Date: 201 AH = 816/817 AD Caliph: al-Ma’mun (AH 198–218 / AD 813–833) Metal: Silver (~90%) Weight: 3.11 g Condition: Circulated with clear Kufic inscriptions Legal tender: No longer legal tender Damage: None visible Text: See images for correct impression A beautiful and historically important Abbasid silver dirham from Samarqand, once one of the greatest cities of the Silk Road and the eastern frontier of the Islamic world.