Description
Bernardi, G. Arabic Gold Coins. Corpus I. 2nd Edition, Trieste, 2012. Quarto, pp. 418. Casebound.
Now, at long last, the world of Islamic numismatics has been provided with a comprehensive compilation and guide to the first period of Islamic gold coinage from the time of the Umayyad caliph ‘Abd al-Malik bin Marwan until the deposition of the Abbasid caliph al-Mustakfi in 334 Hijra (946 CE). In addition to the gold coinage of the caliphates, the author covers those of the Aghlabids in Tunisia, the Fatimids and their partisans in North Africa and western Arabia, together with many of the dynasties in the eastern Islamic world which owed their actual or nominal allegiance to the Abbasid caliphs in Baghdad. All issues have been listed with their rulers, mints and dates meticulously recorded, with illustrations and legends provided. The author has also added indications of the coins’ availability and rarity, which will be of great value to the dealer and collector. To substantiate each entry, extensive references have been included that cover all the major and minor public collections, auction catalogues, sales lists and private communications to the author. Giulio Bernardi’s corpus is a labour of indefatigable and dedicated scholarship which puts all other such works in the shade. This book is a truly great achievement which should stand the test of time and will be used by the many people who have the good fortune to turn its pages from the time of its publication and in the years to come.
