Islam ushered in a new approach to coinage, which dispensed with representational images and used appropriate religious references

'Abd al-Malik Bin Marwan experimented with earlier Sasanian models but quickly developed a highly effective system using a gold dinar weighing about 4.27 gms and a silver dirham of about 2.93 gms.

These coins were struck from virtually pure gold and silver and were quickly accepted as a standard means of exchange. The establishment of this stable curre ncy helped to create the unprecedented prosperity following the Muslim conquests.

Coinages of the time are also valuable records of the cities where the coins were struck, the years in which rulers weilded power, their names and their poli tical and religious relationships.

Arab Sasanian and Ummayad

Arab Sasanian - drachm al Hajjaj b. Yusuf BISH = Bishapur

Ummayad - dirham 'Umar b. 'Abd al-aziz Dimashq

Abbasid Period

Abbadid 1st Period - dirham al-Rashid al Rafiqa

Abbadid 1st Period - dirham al-Hadi heir Harun al Haruniya

Tulunid,Ikshidid, Fatimid and Samanid

Ikshidid - dinar abu'l - Qasim Unujur Misr

Samanid - dirham Ismail b. Ahmad al- Shash

Buwayid, Rassid and Rasulid

Buwayid - dirham Mu'izz al - dawla heir 'Izz al-dawla al Basra

Rassid - dinar al Hadi ila - 'l - Haqq Sa'dary

Ayyubid, Great Saljuq and Lu'lu'id

Ayyubid - dinar al - Kamil Muhammad al - Qahira

Lu'lu'id - dinar badr al - din L'ulu al Mawsil