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Dirham - Sidi Mohammed III 1st Standard, Rabat
| Issuer | Morocco |
|---|---|
| Year | 1775-1777 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 2.93 g |
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| Obverse description | Central field bears the Arabic religious legend 'أحد أحد' (Ahad Ahad, meaning 'One, One' — an affirmation of divine unity) rendered in bold, angular script characteristic of Moroccan hammered coinage. The inscription is enclosed within a circular inner border composed of small pointed denticles, itself surrounded by a plain outer rim. The flan is irregular in shape, as typical of hand-struck Alaoui dirhams of this period, with flat, uneven fields resulting from the hammering technique. |
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays the mint name 'رباط' (Rabat) above the Hijri date '1191' (corresponding to 1777 CE), inscribed in bold Arabic script within the central field. A decorative inner border of alternating points and pellets encircles the legends, with a plain outer rim following the irregular contour of the flan. The overall execution is characteristic of the hammered silver dirhams struck under Sultan Sidi Mohammed III at the Rabat mint during his first coinage standard. |
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| Additional information |
Sidi Mohammed III (Mohammed ben Abdallah) undertook a deliberate monetary reform in the 1770s, standardizing the Moroccan dirham across mints that had long operated with inconsistent weights and fineness. Rabat — functioning here under its mint name — was one of the authorized striking locations for this reformed type, designated the 1st Standard to distinguish it from later weight adjustments made before the end of his reign.
His reign also saw the 1777 American recognition overture, making Morocco one of the first states to acknowledge U.S. independence. Coins of this precise window carry that geopolitical proximity.