Afghanistan AH 1296 falus KM-94
The first specimen was lot 2284 in Steve Album Auction 51 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2025), where it sold for $480. The catalog description[1] noted, "CIVIC COPPER: AE falus, Qandahar, AH1296, British crown within wreath, struck during the 2nd Anglo-Afghan war under British authority, rich brown patina, VF-XF." The second specimen was lot 3526 in the same sale, where it sold for $600. The catalog description[1] noted, "AFGHANISTAN: British Occupation, 1878-1880, AE falus, Qandahar, AH129(6), British crown within wreath, anonymous issue, struck during the Second Anglo-Afghan War under the British authorities, who occupied the city 1878-1880; wonderful example! XF." The Afghan series has a wide variety of anonymous copper coinage struck by the towns for local use. Crudely made and harshly used, few are collectible or even identifiable. This one is an exception.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper, the first specimen 4.75 g, the second specimen 4.78 g.
Catalog reference: A-3253, KM-94.
- Album, Stephen, Checklist of Islamic Coins, 3rd Ed. Santa Rosa, Stephen Album Rare Coins, 2011.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 51, featuring the Howard Daniel III Collection of Asian Coins, the Almer H. Orr III Collection of World Coins and the Joe Sedillot Collection of German Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2024.
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