Pul Coin of Afghanistan: History of the Name

Illustrated Specimen Details: Pul

Example Specimen: 50 pul, 1980 — Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

The pul is a historic and long-standing fractional denomination of Afghanistan. This 50 pul specimen, minted in 1980, belongs to the era of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, a period marked by significant political shifts and socialist influence. The date inscribed on the coin is ١٣٥٩, which refers to the year 1359 in the Solar Hijri calendar (SH), corresponding to 1980 in the Gregorian calendar.

The obverse of the coin displays the coat of arms used by the Democratic Republic between 1980-1987. This emblem is rich in symbolism: a central rising sun represents a new beginning, flanked by sheaves of wheat and topped with a cogwheel for industry and a red star. The inscription دافغانستان دموکراتيک جمهورے دولت translates to the "Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan".

Interestingly, despite the socialist orientation of the Afghan government at the time, these aluminium-bronze coins were produced by the Royal Mint in the United Kingdom. The reverse clearly states the denomination in local script: پنحوس - پولى (fifty pul), alongside the Eastern Arabic numerals ٥٠.

1. EMIRATE OF AFGHANISTAN + KINGDOM OF AFGHANISTAN + REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN + DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN (1925-...): pul = 1/100 afghani
2. GOLDEN HORDE (13th-15th centuries): pul (more precisely — pūl) = 1/16 dang

Regarding the origin of the name of the coin pul, there is a version according to which the word "pul" comes from the designation of a bag of coins in the Roman Empire — follis: the term was originally used in the Byzantine Empire and eventually got into the Golden Horde, evolving into "pūl".

By the way, by the end of the XIX century in the territory of Afghanistan used coins with the name "falus".

The Enduring History and Meaning of the Pul

The pul represents one of the most resilient names in the history of Central Asian numismatics. In the modern Afghan context, it serves as the decimal fractional unit, where 100 pul make up one afghani. However, the linguistic and economic journey of this name spans over a millennium, crossing borders from the Mediterranean to the steppes of the Golden Horde.

Etymological Evolution: From Rome to Kabul

The root of the word is found in the Latin follis, which originally described a leather bag used to hold a specific amount of small change in the Roman Empire. Over time, the name shifted to refer to the copper coins themselves. Through the Byzantine Empire, the term entered the Arabic world as fulūs. As trade routes expanded through Central Asia, the Persian and Turkic languages adapted this into pul (or pūl). In many of these cultures, the word eventually became so common that it turned into a generic term for "money" or "cash".

The Pul in the Golden Horde

Long before it became the official subdivision of the afghani in 1925, the pūl was the workhorse of the Golden Horde economy. Unlike the modern decimal system, the medieval version was part of a complex ratio where approximately 16 pul were equal to one silver dang. These copper coins were vital for the daily survival of the urban population, used to buy bread, salt, and basic goods in the bustling markets of Sarai and other Silk Road hubs.

Modern Afghanistan: Decimalization and Inflation

The introduction of the modern pul in the 1920s was a step toward modernizing Afghanistan's economy. By moving away from the old rupee and falus system, the country adopted a clean 1/100 ratio. Throughout the mid-20th century, pul coins were minted in various metals, including copper, bronze, and later steel.

However, the late 20th century brought severe economic challenges. By the time the 1980 specimen was minted, inflation had begun to erode the purchasing power of these small units. While the 50 pul coin was still a tangible piece of currency in the early 1980s, subsequent decades of conflict rendered the denomination practically obsolete for circulation.

A Collector's Perspective

For numismatists, the 1980 issue is an excellent example of "Cold War numismatics". It captures a specific moment when Afghanistan was attempting to project an image of stability and progress through its iconography. While these coins are generally affordable today, they are highly valued for their historical narrative, representing a distinct era before the pul practically disappeared from daily use to become a memory in a "world coins catalog".