Louvre Abu Dhabi acquired the collection in 2019 from a private collector in Europe whose identity has not been revealed.

The rare Islamic silver coins that were acquired earlier this year by Louvre Abu Dhabi will finally be unveiled as part of a two-year project, the authorities informed.

The coins, referred to as the Hoard of Jazira, is a collection of medieval Islamic coins that dates back from the reign of King Shapur II (AD 309-379) until that of Abbasid Caliph Al Ma’mun (AD 813-833).

The museum has also acquired 2,861 silver coins manufactured in the Eurasian continent, including currencies of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties. There are also 67 additional single coins, in gold or gold alloy, created from the sixth to the 16th century in the regions of Eurasia and the Mediterranean basin.

Louvre Abu Dhabi acquired the collection in 2019 from a private collector in Europe whose identity has not been revealed.

As a part of the displayed project, the museum has studied and restored the coins before installing them including weighing the coins, documenting their diameter and thickness, as well as identifying the metals used and examining the shifting designs closely. A team of restorers have also been working to remove scratches and corrosive materials on the coins.

According to the museum, the coins are significant as they reveal political changes in regional history, including the value placed on precious metals throughout various periods, as well as how the symbols on coins shifted as the Umayyad caliphate sought to establish a single Islamic currency.

The coins have served not only as a valuable research tool but also as a solid marker of the development of the economy and the shifts in power and geography at the time.

The Hoard of Jazira exhibition was supposed to be on view in September, however, the opening date for it hasn’t been announced yet.