Catalog
Falus - Abu Muhammad Abd Allah Al-Ghalib 2nd Standard
| Issuer | Saadian Sultanate |
|---|---|
| Year | 1560-1568 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Falus (1⁄60) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Crudely hammered copper flan of irregular outline bearing a multi-line Arabic legend arranged within a plain inner circle, itself enclosed by a rope or beaded border. The field carries the mint formula in three lines of Maghribi script, reading 'ضرب بمدينة فاس' (Struck in the city of Fes), with pellet ornaments separating the lines. The surfaces show characteristic uneven strike pressure and flan irregularities consistent with Saadian hammered coinage of the mid-sixteenth century. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | ضرب بمدينة فاس (Translation: Mint in the city of Fas (Fez)) |
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| Additional information |
Abd Allah al-Ghalib ruled the Saadian Sultanate from 1557 to 1574, consolidating power after years of dynastic infighting that had destabilized the dynasty following Ahmad al-Araj's removal. The falus was the lowest denomination in circulation, struck in copper for everyday market transactions while silver dirhams and gold dinars moved through elite commerce. Saadian copper coinage from this reign is poorly documented in Western numismatic literature, and surviving examples tend to be poorly preserved — the alloy used was susceptible to corrosion in the humid Atlantic coastal environment of Marrakesh.