Coin Tunisia Beylik of Tunis, Mahmud I - Qafsi - 1730 / 1754 Tunis

This qafsi is a copper coin issued under the authority of the Regency of Tunis during the reign of Mahmoud I Bey, between 1730 and 1756.

The qafsi represents a low-denomination unit within the Tunisian monetary system of the Husainid period, intended for everyday transactions. Its striking in copper, a metal less precious than silver or gold, confirms its essentially popular and commercial purpose.

Mahmoud I Bey ruled over the Regency of Tunis in a context of consolidation of the Husainid dynasty, founded in 1705 by Husayn ibn Ali. His reign was marked by internal tensions and dynastic rivalries between different branches of the ruling family. Relations with the Regency of Algiers remained at times conflictual, while Tunisia continued to nominally acknowledge the authority of the Ottoman sultan while retaining broad political and administrative autonomy. This period was also characterised by the growth of commercial exchanges with European powers, particularly France, England, and several Italian states.

As the political capital and main economic centre of the country, Tunis played an essential role in the administration and monetary organisation of the regency.