The Sultanate of Muscat and Oman struck copper fractional currency in the late nineteenth century largely to address the practical demands of Indian Ocean trade, where small-denomination coinage was perpetually short. Faisal bin Turki, who ruled from 1888 until his death in 1913, issued coinage under British political supervision — the Sultanate was a British protectorate in all but formal name, and monetary decisions were rarely made in isolation from Muscat's relationship with the Government of India.
The beaded central circle variety of KM#14 is a recognized die distinction from the plain circle type, worth separating in any serious collection of Gulf states coinage.
The Sultanate of Muscat and Oman struck copper fractional currency in the late nineteenth century largely to address the practical demands of Indian Ocean trade, where small-denomination coinage was perpetually short. Faisal bin Turki, who ruled from 1888 until his death in 1913, issued coinage under British political supervision — the Sultanate was a British protectorate in all but formal name, and monetary decisions were rarely made in isolation from Muscat's relationship with the Government of India.
The beaded central circle variety of KM#14 is a recognized die distinction from the plain circle type, worth separating in any serious collection of Gulf states coinage.