Umayyad Felus of Al-Andalus

The most intriguing thing about the Umayyad Felus from Al-Andalus is how they adapted Byzantine coinage techniques, right down to reusing the same copper blanks, to create a distinctly Islamic currency in a freshly conquered land.

These felus were struck in copper, typically weighing around 1 to 3 grams, and served as the everyday coin for markets in places like Cordoba or Seville. Inscriptions in early Arabic script declared the caliph's name or religious phrases, a shift from the crosses and emperors on prior Visigothic pieces. We know they circulated widely between 711 and 756, but exact mint locations remain murky—some were likely produced in ad hoc workshops.

No two felus are identical; variations in strike quality make them a headache for cataloguers. As for myths, I've heard plenty about hidden treasures, but most were just pocket change for farmers and traders.

The patina on these coins can look like modern rust, a reminder that even ancient money ages poorly.