Coins House offers glimpses into the history of coins in the region

Dubai, 31 August 2008: Dubai Municipality will soon open to public the Coins House, a dedicated museum for nearly 500 ancient coins that were in circulation in the region since time of the Islamic caliphates.

The museum has been set in an ancient historic building that dates back to 1918 and which was restored to its former glory by the Architectural Heritage Department of Dubai Municipality in the Al Bastakiya Heritage District as part of its comprehensive renovation plan for the heritage districts in Al Shindagha, Al Ras and Al Bastakiya.

According to Rashad Bukhash, Director of Architectural Heritage Department at Dubai Municipality, the Coins House consists of several sections including the one which displays information on history of coins. The second room displays some 16 pieces of ancient coins from the Sassanid Empire that were in circulation at the time of the four prominent caliphs (Al Khulafaau Ar-Rashidin) and the Amawi Caliphate. The third room consists of 64 pieces of coins (dinars and dirhams) from Amawi Caliphate stating from the period of Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan and until the fall of the caliphate in 132 Hijri Year, which was at the time of Caliph Marwan Bin Mohammed.

The fourth room has 115 pieces of coins (dinars and dirhams) from the Abbasid Caliphate starting from the era of Caliph Abul Abbas Al Seffah, founder of the caliphate, until the fall of the caliphate in the era of Al Mustasim Bellah.

The fifth room comprises of 45 pieces of coins from ancient Egypt, the region previously known as Belad Al Sham, and Turkey during the rein of the Tulunids who were the first independent dynasty in Islamic Egypt (868–905 AD), the Fatimid Caliphate that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Egypt, and the Levant from 5 January 909 to 1171, the Mamluks, and Othamia Caliphate.

The sixth room consists of 91 pieces of coins from Iraq, the Mashreq, and coins from the Bahai, Saljouk and other various dynasties. The two other rooms consist of a total of 124 pieces of coins from North Africa, Spain, the Arabian Peninsula, the UAE and other countries of the region.