Unique coin carries the inscription offa rex

 This unique coin carries the inscription offa rex, showing that it was made for King Offa of Mercia who reigned form 757 to 796.

The design is directly copied from a dinar coin of Offa’s contemporary, the Abbasid Caliph al-Mansur. It is closely enough copied to identify not only the ruler but also the date of the coin from which this design was copied, which was issued c. 773–74.

However, it is clear that the die-cutter did not read Arabic, as minor errors have been introduced into the Arabic inscription, which is upside down in relation to Offa’s name and title.

The coin was first recorded in a saleroom in Rome, and may have been found there. It might have been a gift to the Pope from Offa, as the Mercian king had promised to send him 365 gold coins every year.

The choice of an Islamic dinar as a model for Offa’s gold coinage should not be interpreted as an indication of Offa’s religious beliefs, as other evidence leaves no doubt that he was Christian. The coin probably reflects instead the importance of the gold dinar in international trade. It was the dominant coinage in the Mediterranean, and inspired the reintroduction of gold coinage in northern Europe.

Source and photo credit: the British Library.