Al Andalus Pubblico Deposited
- Arab controlled Iberia. The Muslims invaded Spain in 711, setting off centuries of political, military and economy changes. In 697 the caliph had banned all iconography on coins so there were no human figures on them. The new Al Andalus coins in the growing Arab territory in Spain and Portugal copied the Arab-Byzantine dinar coins of North Africa and Damascus. Obsolete and foreign coins, along with gold and silver bullion were taken to the mints to be melted, refined and struck into local coins. Some Arab coins carried Latin words. A large star on the obverse distinguished Islamic Spanish coins from Arab-Latin ones. A new bilingual dinar was struck in 716 CE with an Arabic legend. In 720 CE, the first Arab gold coins were minted in Spain. In some periods, each regional caliph put his name, title, mint and year on coins of his area. Major Arab mints were set up in Sevilla and Cordoba. In other periods many small mints were scattered across the peninsula. The last gold coins were made in Nasrid rulers of Granada (1238-1492).
- Numiscadero Spanish to English Glossary (Gary Beals)