Dinar – Marrakesh Branch of Saadi dynasty

In 1605, the Marrakesh branch of the Saadi dynasty, under Sultan Zaydan al-Nasir, operated within a complex and strained monetary system. The dynasty's primary wealth stemmed from controlling the trans-Saharan gold trade and the lucrative sugar plantations of the Sous and Haouz plains. This wealth was traditionally minted into high-quality gold dinars and silver dirhams at the Marrakesh mint (Dar al-Sikka), located near the El Badi Palace, reinforcing the city's status as a financial and imperial capital.

However, the period was marked by significant monetary challenges. The dynasty was in a state of internal fragmentation and civil war, with Zaydan in Marrakesh contesting power with rivals in Fez. This political instability disrupted trade routes and minting operations. Furthermore, a severe crisis was unfolding due to a massive influx of debased Spanish reales and other European coins, used to pay for Moroccan sugar and saltpeter. These often inferior foreign coins circulated widely, competing with and undermining the trust in local Saadi currency.

Consequently, the currency situation in Marrakesh was one of contested authority and economic pressure. While the mint still produced coins as a symbol of sovereignty, its output was likely inconsistent. The marketplace would have been a mosaic of domestic and foreign coins, their values fluctuating based on metal content and trust. This monetary instability reflected the broader decline of centralized Saadi power, as control over the currency—a key prerogative of a strong state—was being eroded by both internal conflict and external economic forces.