New Saudi Arabian Exhibit

The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture will launch a new exhibition, Minted Narratives: Saudi Arabia’s Legacy in Coins, at the National Museum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital city, next week. The opening ceremony, to be held on September 17, will bring together leading figures from the fields of history, culture, and economics.

One of the most comprehensive displays of Islamic numismatics ever held, the exhibit features over 200 rare coins spanning more than 1,300 years and documenting the birth and evolution of Islam. It showcases rare coins from the collection of Dr. Alain Baron, founder of Numismatica Genevensis SA, alongside key pieces from the Ministry of Culture’s holdings.

“Coins carry within them historical, religious, cultural, and social messages. They stand as witnesses to the flourishing of civilizations, the unity of nations, and to the story of Saudi Arabia’s foundation, unification, and development,” says Dr. Baron. “This exhibition gives audiences a rare opportunity to read our history from a new perspective—viewing coins as civilizational documents that are no less important than manuscripts or archaeological artifacts.”

Exhibit Highlights

In addition to Islamic coins, the exhibit presents intercultural coinage from the Byzantine, Sasanian, and Mediterranean worlds, reflecting trade and cultural exchange. A dedicated section showcases women in numismatics, from Maryam to Queen Zubayda and Catherine the Great. Specific highlights include:

• History’s first purely Islamic coin, first minted between 77 A.H. (A.D. 696-697) by the Umayyad caliph Abd El Malik Al Marwan. This new form of dinar replaced all pictorial designs with Arabic inscriptions taken from the Quran.

• The first coin to bear the Islamic expression of faith, the kalimah. This coin was minted in the Umayyad Caliphate between A.D. 685 and 705.

• A medallion depicting Islamic falconry, minted between 1040 and 1063. This is one of the earliest historical documents of this practice and one of the few surviving artworks from this period. 

Complemented by a rich cultural program that includes seminars, workshops, and specialized discussions, as well as interactive activities for children and families, the exhibit will run through December 16.