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1 Falus
| Issuer | Balkh, City of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1858-1860 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Copper |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse bears an Arabic inscription occupying the central field, recording the mint name and the AH date of issue. The lettering is arranged in multiple lines in a style consistent with provincial hammered copper coinage of Afghan Turkestan. The script is rendered in a somewhat cursory hand, reflecting the utilitarian nature of the issue. The irregular flan results in partial striking at the margins, a common characteristic of Balkh falus coinage of this period. No decorative border or inner circle is present. |
| Reverse script | Arabic |
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| Additional information |
Balkh — ancient Bactra, once capital of Bactria and a major node on the Silk Road — had by the mid-nineteenth century been reduced to a provincial backwater under Afghan Barakzai control, its coinage reflecting that diminished status. Local copper fulus of this period circulated within tight regional boundaries, their acceptance rarely extending beyond the immediate bazaar economy. The Kabul-based Amir exercised nominal authority over Balkh's mint, but production was inconsistent and supervision loose, which accounts for the considerable variation in weight and fabric seen across this type.