One side has a Star of David, and the other side has has some text, perhaps Arabic or Hebrew and the date 1286. It's approx. 1 inch in diameter. Any info about this coin would be greatly appreciated. I've tried to attach a pic - hope it has worked.
Howdy RustyProf - Welcome to the Forum !! Whatever it is, it's a cast copy not a real coin. And I suspect it is of more modern origins as the date being in Arabic numerals was not in use in 1286.
Hello It is not a copy but a cast coin of 3 falus, struck under Mohammad IV, who ruled in Morocco from AD1859 to AD1873 (AH 1276 to AH 1290) Cucumbor
Hello there Rusty, and to CoinTalk. The characters above the date are definitely Arabic, not Hebrew. Frequently a mint mark appears above the date on an Islamic coin, but I can't match the characters on yours to any of the marks illustrated in the Standard Catalog of World Coins ("Krause"). The dot in a star is the Islamic >> Seal of Suleyman (scroll down) << (which was frequently used on Morrocon coins, among others) rather than a Jewish Star of David. AH1286 on the Islamic calendar extended from April 13, 1869 to April 3, 1870, on the western calendar, which would place it during the Morrocon reign of Sidi Mohammed IV; but Krause says that the 11.5g bronze 4 falus it resembles (KM#166.1 and KM#166.2 from different mints) was first minted in AH1290 (1873-74). The obverse design is identical to yours, with the Seal inside a ring of denticles, and the reverse is similar, but with different Arabic characters above the date. From your photos I'm not convinced it is a casting, but my slightly educated guess is that you have a contemporary forgery, with an illegible mint name. If so, it will weigh 6g or less, according to Krause. An interesting piece, whatever it may be. Thanks for sharing. I simply have to learn to type faster. As is often the case, Krause is somewhat incomplete in this instance, and doesn't list the 3 falus. I was guessing 4 because it is only slightly wider than 1 inch, while the 2 falus is quite a bit smaller. And BTW, a big to you too Cucumbor. Do you read Arabic?
Thank you satootoko for your welcoming words. No I don't read arabic. I just have an old 1981 edition of Krause (surely collector now !!!) which says it could be a 3 Falus. But I'm not an expert at all on Morocco Cucumbor
Thanks for the great welcome and replies - very informative! So, my inevitable question is, I guess it's not worth anything? It came from a tin full of money from around the world, most of it 100 years old or more.
Well, you won't be able to retire, or even buy a new car, from the proceeds, but it's an interesting piece, and well worth collecting.
I'm not a collector. I was given these coins after a death of a friend. To be honest, I don't want them sitting in a drawer until I snuff it and would like them to go to someone who will find them of interest or add to their collection.
A suggestion for you then RustyProf - try to locate a local Boy Scout troop. They offer merit badges for coin collections and often the youngsters will develop a lifelong hobby
Doug,I got my Hobbies Badge when I was in Cubs.Guess what I chose as my project? Coin collecting!.That was 17 years ago,when I held the rank of Six Leader. Aidan.
Hey Aidan I'm currently a Tiger Scout leader myself, the youngest form of cub scouts here in the USA. I don't wear the uniform thru but I do wear the shirts.
Star of David/1286 You can find the answer to your question at the following address: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/monetaromana/corrisp/a307/a307.html Sincerly. Giulio De Florio http://www.monetaromana.it/
