An interesting, if disturbing topic...

[Lee S]

I guess the "Islamic" board is the correct place to discuss this website I stumbled across while searching for coins of the levant...
     I hope it's not out of order to bring this subject up on this forum, but I have no other place to discuss the subject, and my head is full of questions...

http://isis-coins.com/index.php

  If genuine, ( of which I am unsure...) and these coins are a genuine currency sanctioned by the crazy Muslims out in the caliphate then they will surely become collectors items when ISIS have been crushed..  
   Another point of interest is the (professed) defined value being tied to market value of the metal involved... And also the breakdown of denominations is interesting, does this have some historical precedent?

   While disturbing, it is also interesting... I have a couple of nazi era German coins purely for their looks... Those guys had the best designers... The coins are magnificent... While knowing next to nothing about Islam I wonder if this is an analogue?

[a]

Sales of these coind advertized on this terrorists site, serves as "legitimate" channel for financing of their activity. The most amaizing thing is that this site is on line for at least few months and no one thought to ban it or disconnect.

Regards,
Explorer

[Lee S]

Sales of these coind advertized on this terrorists site, serves as "legitimate" channel for financing of their activity. The most amaizing thing is that this site is on line for at least few months and no one thought to ban it or disconnect.

Regards,
Explorer

   I get that Explorer... But the question is are these coins in circulation in the areas Isis holds? If so it is a legitimate currency for study purposes... We must look at current events with the lens of history... If this coin production is widespread will it become the future equivalent of Mark Antony currency?

  While like every right minded person alive I despise ISIS and their evil acts.. It's also interesting to step outside emotion and witness history in the making... ( admittedly this is easier when you are thousands of miles away!)

  Best wishes,

Lee.

[Lee S]

( also the double edged sword of the Internet is EVERYONE gets equal rights... Which is the first ever global democracy... It's not a case of someone " taking down " a particular site... Even though I venomously disagree with the "idiots" behind this project ( I actually think they could be very smart indeed).. As a diehard defender of free speech I would rather live in a world where the website discussed was free to exist than in a world where it wasn't...

[a]

Surely,  these coins are collectibles. I just noticed that they offer coins sets through this site for 960$ (according to this site, by the way, $ is mean invented by Jews and Cristians to enslsve Muslims). Purchasing these coins sets through this site, from my perspective, is direct contribution to mass murderers organization.

[Molinari]

Surely,  these coins are collectibles. I just noticed that they offer coins sets through this site for 960$ (according to this site, by the way, $ is mean invented by Jews and Cristians to enslsve Muslims). Purchasing these coins sets through this site, from my perspective, is direct contribution to mass murderers organization.

You'd have to be a real you-know-what to buy these from ISIS or their supporters because they are "collectible".

The only conceivable way I could see owning one of these is by buying it from a soldier that killed an ISIS member and took them as a prize. 

[Carausius]

The only conceivable way I could see owning one of these is by buying it from a soldier that killed an ISIS member and took them as a prize. 

Well said, Nick.  If the Islamists are actually trying to establish their own currency, as a student of the history of coinage, I would be interested in watching how it emerges into circulation and use vs. other recognized currencies.  However, my suspicion is that this is a money making scheme - they are melting down looted war booty, striking "coins" and selling to collectors at a profit to boost their treasury - rather than an actual attempt at real currency creation. 

[Lee S]

I totally agree.... I'm not advocating for anyone buying these things, I just find the whole subject very interesting.... in 500 or 1000 years when ISIS nothing but a piece of ancient history will these be collectable? Or put down as a bit of opportunist money grabbing? Or both?
    I would very much like to know if the coins are actually legal tender over there, if it's a genuine money raiser for the terrorists or if it's just a scam by a savvy greedy Muslim...

[Molinari]

I wouldn't be surprised if they circulate, especially the gold and silver. At least in areas controlled by ISIS.

[Carausius]

I wouldn't be surprised if they circulate, especially the gold and silver. At least in areas controlled by ISIS.

I assume that the least intrinsically valuable, useable currency is what the people would spend in such a war-torn area.  If the Islamists prohibit use of other currencies, then you may be right.  If merchants refuse to accept other currencies, then you may also be right. Otherwise, I would expect the people would hoard their gold and silver.