½ Dinar – Morocco
Morocco
Context
Year: 1791
Islamic (Hijri) Year: 1205
Issuer: Morocco 
Ruler: Muhammad al-Yazid
Currency:
(1659—1882)
Demonetized: Yes
References
KM: #Click to copy to clipboard70.2
Numista: #157443
Value
Bullion value: $293.45
Obverse
Reverse
Edge
Mintings
| Year | Mint Mark | Mintage | Quality | Collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1791 | — | — |
Historical background
In 1791, the currency situation in the Kingdom of Morocco was characterized by a complex and often chaotic bimetallic system, heavily influenced by both internal minting practices and intense foreign trade. The primary coins in circulation were the silver dirham and the gold benduqi (or benduqi dinar), but their values and purity were not stable. The Alawite Sultan Moulay Yazid (also known as Yazid bin Mohammed), who ruled from 1790 to 1792, inherited a treasury depleted by the costly civil war he had fought against his brother to claim the throne. His short and tumultuous reign was marked by punitive fiscal policies and the debasement of coinage to fund his military expenditures and consolidate power, leading to significant inflation and economic hardship.
The monetary chaos was exacerbated by the widespread circulation of a multitude of foreign coins, a testament to Morocco's active position in Mediterranean and Atlantic trade. Spanish reales (pieces of eight), Portuguese cruzados, and other European and Ottoman coins circulated freely alongside local issues, their exchange rates fluctuating based on metal content and trade demands. This created a fragmented market where merchants and money changers (sarrafs) held considerable power in determining daily exchange values, often to the detriment of ordinary citizens and the stability of internal markets.
Furthermore, the state's control over minting was inconsistent. While the Makhzen (central government) operated mints in cities like Fez and Marrakech, periodic debasements—reducing the precious metal content in coins while maintaining their face value—eroded public trust in the currency. This practice, combined with the influx of foreign specie and the economic disruptions of Yazid's punitive rule, resulted in a period of significant monetary instability. The situation contributed to broader social unrest, which would only begin to be addressed under his successor, Moulay Slimane, who worked to restore fiscal order and the integrity of the coinage.
The monetary chaos was exacerbated by the widespread circulation of a multitude of foreign coins, a testament to Morocco's active position in Mediterranean and Atlantic trade. Spanish reales (pieces of eight), Portuguese cruzados, and other European and Ottoman coins circulated freely alongside local issues, their exchange rates fluctuating based on metal content and trade demands. This created a fragmented market where merchants and money changers (sarrafs) held considerable power in determining daily exchange values, often to the detriment of ordinary citizens and the stability of internal markets.
Furthermore, the state's control over minting was inconsistent. While the Makhzen (central government) operated mints in cities like Fez and Marrakech, periodic debasements—reducing the precious metal content in coins while maintaining their face value—eroded public trust in the currency. This practice, combined with the influx of foreign specie and the economic disruptions of Yazid's punitive rule, resulted in a period of significant monetary instability. The situation contributed to broader social unrest, which would only begin to be addressed under his successor, Moulay Slimane, who worked to restore fiscal order and the integrity of the coinage.
✨ Legendary