Reference for Islamic Dynasties

[mordor]

Is there any website explaining cufic lettering (at least numbers and mints). Or maybe somebody will tell what books should I search for? The same question about reference books. I hope somebody will give me a hint.

[PeterD]

Find yourself a copy of "Arabic Coins and how to read them" by Richard Plant.

[Manzikert]

Hi mordor

I would certainly second the recommendation of Plant.

There are many websites with Islamic coins, but most are based on personal collections so are not comprehensive: eg.
http://alandaluscoinstonegawacollection.50g.com/ (Spanish Islamic)
http://www.mbilbeisi.com/ (1,100 gold, 1,000 silver, few Ae)
http://islamiccoins.ancients.info/ (Maskukat collection, now being dispersed)

For Ottoman coins there is http://www.osmanliparalari.com/ (in Turkish with some english, but not difficult to use despite that.)

The best general listing of Islamic coins is Album's 'A checklist of Islamic coins'. This again has a brief history of the dynasty, references to specialist works, and a listing of the coins ruler by ruler, with rarity estimates. Unfortunately it is unillustrated.

A very good general book on Islamic coins is Mitchiner's 'World of Islam', now reprinted, still around $200 but well worth it.

Obviously, if you are interested in a particular geographical area or dynasty there will be specialist works which I or other members of the boards could recommend.

Best wishes

Alan