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1/2 Dinar - Abu Sa'id 'Uthman III
| Issuer | Marinid dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1398-1420 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Central field occupied by a multi-line Arabic religious inscription arranged within an implied square or rectangular frame, executed in the Maghribi script style characteristic of late Marinid coinage. The legends are densely composed and fill the available flan, with additional marginal or border inscriptions partially visible around the periphery. The coin exhibits the irregular, slightly convex flan typical of hammered gold issues of the western Islamic world. The surface shows the characteristic flow lines and uneven strike distribution of hand-struck coinage. No figural imagery is present, in accordance with Islamic numismatic tradition. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a multi-line Arabic inscription filling the central field, similarly arranged in horizontal registers within a square format, consistent with Marinid half-dinar typology. The Maghribi-style script is bold and closely spaced, with additional marginal text encircling the central square. The irregular flan edges reflect the hammered production technique, and the strike is slightly off-center, a common characteristic of this series. The legends likely include the ruler's name and titles, the mint name, and Quranic formulae standard to Marinid gold coinage. No ornamental devices or geometric borders are discernible beyond the textual arrangement. |
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| Additional information |
Abu Sa'id Uthman III ruled the Marinid sultanate during its terminal decline, a period marked by repeated coups, Wattasid regent interference, and the effective collapse of central authority in Fez. The dynasty that had built the Bou Inania madrasa and contested Iberian politics was, by his reign, a shell sustained largely by the Wattasid governors who would eventually supplant it entirely.
Half-dinar fractions of this reign are poorly documented in major collections, and A#545A remains a sparsely referenced type — likely reflecting both low original mintage and the general economic contraction of late Marinid Morocco.