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Fals - Anonymous Tax coin, Suleiman I type
| Issuer | Ottoman Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1520-1566 |
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| Currency | Akçe (1327-1687) |
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| Obverse description | Central field bearing a multi-line Arabic inscription denoting the denomination 'Fulus' (فلس) along with the tax designation and the AH date 952 (1546 AD). The legend is struck in relief on an irregular flan typical of hammered Ottoman copper coinage, with the script arranged in horizontal registers across the field. The surfaces show characteristic roughness and patination consistent with emergency fiscal coinage of the reign of Suleiman I. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central decorative motif featuring a stylized tulip set within an octogram (eight-pointed star), rendered in relief on the irregular copper flan. The tulip, a symbol closely associated with Ottoman art and culture of the sixteenth century, is presented in a schematic, linear style characteristic of hastily struck fiscal coinage. The surrounding geometric framework of the octogram occupies the majority of the reverse field, with no additional legend or border present. |
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| Additional information |
Anonymous copper fals of this type circulated not as general-purpose small change but specifically to facilitate the collection of market taxes — the ihtisab dues levied on tradesmen by the muhtasib, the Ottoman market inspector. Because these coins passed through official hands rather than ordinary retail transactions, they were often hoarded in batches by tax collectors rather than worn smooth through daily use. The absence of a mint name or regnal signature was deliberate policy, allowing a single die to serve multiple markets across the empire without restriking.