ISLAMIC, Umayyad Caliphate. temp. 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, AH 65-86 / AD 685-705. Fals (Bronze, 16 mm, 2.83 g), 'Standing Caliph' type, Qurus (Cyrrhus), AH 74-80 = AD 693/4-699/700. Caliph standing facing, bearded, placing his right hand on the pommel of his sword and whip hanging from his right elbow; around, 'li 'abd Allah' abd al-Aalik amir al-Mu'minin' ('the servant of Allah, Abd al-Malik, Commander of the Faithful' in Kufic). Rev. Transformed cross standing on three steps; in left field, wāf ('full weight' in Kufic); in right field, 'Qurus' in Kufic; around, part of the first Kalima reading 'la ilaha illa Allah wahdahu Muhammad Rasul Allah' ('There is no God but Allah alone; Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah'). DOCAB -. Goodwin, Standing Caliph Coinage, Qurus, 340. Very rare. Scratches, otherwise, about very fine.


Qurus is the Arab name for the city of Cyrrhus, which was founded by Seleukos I Nikator shortly after 300 BC. The rarity of the 'Standing Caliph' coins minted in Qurus results from the brief activity of the mint, which was probably connected to Abd al-Malik's decision to station a considerable number of troops in the region for a short period of time after AH 74 = AD 693/4 in an attempt to secure the border with the Byzantine Empire.