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4 Falus - Moulay Al-Hasan I Fes mint
| Issuer | Sultanate of Morocco |
|---|---|
| Year | 1874-1882 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by a six-pointed star (Seal of Solomon) formed by two interlocking triangles, enclosing a small central pellet or hole at its core. The star is set within a plain inner circle, itself surrounded by a outer border of radiating dashes or lozenges forming a decorative rope-like ring. The design is characteristic of late Alaouite dynasty hammered bronze coinage, struck with typical irregularity of the period. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central field bearing a two-line Arabic inscription within a plain inner circle, giving the mint name and Hijri date of issue. The legend reads 'Struck in Fes' (ضرب بفاس) on the upper line and the Hijri year '١٢٩١' (1291 AH) below, consistent with the hammered Alaouite monetary tradition. The field is bounded by a plain raised inner ring and an outer border of radiating dash ornaments mirroring the obverse. The strike is characteristically irregular, as is typical of hand-hammered Moroccan falus coinage of this era. |
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| Additional information |
Moulay Al-Hasan I ascended the throne in 1873 and immediately faced pressure to modernize Morocco's coinage system, which had deteriorated badly under his predecessors — debased flans, inconsistent striking, and widespread counterfeiting had eroded confidence in the bronze issues. The Fes mint, the oldest and most prestigious of the Moroccan minting establishments, produced this 4 Falus series as part of his early monetary reforms before European-assisted mechanized coinage arrived later in his reign.
By the 1880s, Spanish and French commercial interests were actively lobbying for standardized Moroccan currency to facilitate trade. That external pressure would eventually produce the mechanized issues of 1882 onward, making this hand-struck Fes production one of the last of its kind.