The Arab-Bukharan coinage represents a transitional monetary tradition unique to Transoxiana, where Abbasid administrative authority was grafted onto pre-existing Sogdian coin forms rather than replacing them outright. The "Bakh Bakh" designation refers to a local Sogdian dynastic name, reflecting the practical reality that Arab governors in the region often relied on indigenous intermediaries to maintain fiscal control in territories still culturally resistant to direct caliphal administration. Al-Mahdi, the future third Abbasid caliph, served as governor of Khurasan from 758 to 775, and coins issued under his authority in this region predate his accession.
The Arab-Bukharan coinage represents a transitional monetary tradition unique to Transoxiana, where Abbasid administrative authority was grafted onto pre-existing Sogdian coin forms rather than replacing them outright. The "Bakh Bakh" designation refers to a local Sogdian dynastic name, reflecting the practical reality that Arab governors in the region often relied on indigenous intermediaries to maintain fiscal control in territories still culturally resistant to direct caliphal administration. Al-Mahdi, the future third Abbasid caliph, served as governor of Khurasan from 758 to 775, and coins issued under his authority in this region predate his accession.