
Arab-Byzantine follis, "standing Caliph" type, c.685-705 AD, Halab, Ummayad Caliphate
Caliph standing facing, wearing long robes, holding pommel of sword; girdle band hanging from elbow, "of Abd al-Malik, leader of the faithful" in crude Kufic around, letter "sin" (?) right / Symbol (Φ for Fals or Follis?) on four steps; star left, Halab to right (in arabic, retrograde). 19mmx20mm, 3.12 grams. Halab mint. Album 3529; Walker 117.
Rarer variety.
These coins are the earliest coins of the first Islamic Caliphate - after conquering the Byzantine Middle East, they issued coins in the corrupted style of Byzantine (especially of Constans II). These circulates for about a few decades, until the end of the 7th century.