Morocco AH 1309-Pa 5 dirhams

Heritage sale 425, lot 52419

photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

Under Moulay al-Hassan I, Morocco began production of milled coinage. Silver weights were standardized to a degree not obtainable in previous years. The denominations were changed to mazunas and dirhams, with one dirham = 50 mazunas. The 'crown' denomination was one rial, which was equal to 10 dirhams. Starting from the time of al-Hassan I, the ruler was honored on the coins not directly by name, but by an word or expression that alluded to him.

Shown is a silver five dirham (or half rial) from the Paris mint. The date is AH 1309, or 1892 AD. It was lot 52419 and sold for $109 on Jan 8, 2007 at the 2007 January New York Signature World Coin Auction #425 by Heritage Auctions. The catalog description reads: "Abdal Aziz 5 Dirhams 1309AH (1891), toned AU-UNC, scarce date. From the Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection."

Recorded mintage: 114,000.

Specifications: 14.558 g, 0.835 fine silver.

Catalog reference: KM Y7.

Sources:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Gadoury, Victor, and George Cousinié, Monnaies Coloniales Françaises, 1670-1988, 2me Éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 1988.
• Sanchez-Giron, J.M., Monedas de Marruecos, Ceuta, Spain: J.M. Sanchez-Giron, 1972.

Link to:

• AH 1309 dirham, Paris mint
• AH 1309 2½ dirhams, Paris mint
• Morocco AH 1310-Fs 4 falus
• Coins and currency dated 1892
• return to coins of Morocco