FALS: COIN OF RUM
Fals, 1196-1204: Sultanate of Rum
Sultanate of Rum, Seljuk Sultanate or Sultanate of Konya — Turco-Persian sunni muslim state in Asia Minor (Anatolia, modern Türkiye). It was founded by the Seljuk Turks on lands conquered from the Byzantine Empire and existed during 1077-1307. Sultanate was ruled by sultans from the Seljuk dynasty. It declined due to internal strife and the invasion of the Mongols. In 1307 it broke up into a number of Anatolian beyliks, one of which eventually became the Ottoman Empire.
Ruler: Suleiman II / Sulayman II (Suleiman II of Rûm, also Rukn ad-Din Suleiman Shah) — the Seljuk Sultan of Rûm between 1196 and 1204.
The ruler's name and title, the date (sometimes without it), and the city of minting.
Horseman between two stars holding three-forked scepter.
On one of the numismatic forums, this coin is considered a bronze dirhem. I can neither confirm nor deny. I can only state: most often this coin is identified as a fals.
- Copper: 32 mm - 7.15 g
- Reference price: 26$
COIN FALS — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- ISLAMIC STATES (Umayyad Caliphate, Abbasid Caliphate, Artuqids of Mardin, Ayyubid Sultanate, Samanid dynasty, Anatolian Beyliks, Seljuq dynasty, Mamluk Sultanate, United Qarakhanid Khaganate, Al-Andalus and Ceuta...) — 7th-16th centuries
- IRANIAN STATES (City of Ardabil, City of Astarabad, City of Bihbihan, City of Kangan, City of Qazwin, City of Qumm...) — 17th-19th centuries
- MONGOL STATES (Chagatai Khanate, Karakorum Region, Ilkhanate, Timurid Empire...) — 13th-17th centuries
- CENTRAL ASIA and CAUCASIA (Kingdom of Samarqand, Sogdiana, Qara Khitai, City of Tashkand, Baku Khanate, Bukhara...) — 8th-16th centuries
- OTTOMAN EMPIRE (Eyalet of Tunis) — 16th-19th centuries
- SOMALIA (Sultanate of Mogadishu) — 14th-16th centuries
FALS as coin name.
Fals — medieval copper Arabic coin. It was minted starting from the 7th century. The latest examples date back to the 19th century.
This copper coin usually represented the lowest denomination in the monetary systems of the respective issuers (the following monetary system was common: copper fals ⟶ silver dirhem ⟶ gold dinar).
Some historical sources about this numismatic term indicate inaccurate information, namely: supposedly the coin contained only texts — the name of the ruler, the place of minting, religious expressions... In fact, a number of types of fals coins are decorated with various graphic elements: images of animals or birds, people, symbols...
First appearing in the Umayyad Caliphate, fals quickly gained popularity in the surrounding lands (Middle East and nearby territories). Thus, a number of state entities issued their own coins of this type, which numismatic catalogs attribute to the following general sections: Islamic states, Iranian States, Mongol States, Central Asia and Caucasia.
There is no doubt about the name of the coin fals (plural: fulus) — it comes from the name of the Roman and Byzantine coin follis, which was previously widespread in the aforementioned region.
Interestingly, the very first coins, which numismatists consider fals, were issued by the Umayyad Caliphate in a design that was as close as possible to the appearance of follis. Later, the design underwent changes, becoming simpler in terms of graphic design.
Derived coin names are also known — fils and falus.
In modern countries of the Arab world, the term fulus (فلوس), which is the plural form of the name fals, means money in general.
