Egypt AH 1223(1) zeri mahbub
The coin shown is a gold mahbub from the reign of Sultan Mahmud II. It was struck at the Cairo Mint. The denomination 'mahbub' was used prior to the coinage reform of 1834, at which gold coins were denominated in qirsh. The obverse bears the toughra, or signature, of the sultan. The reverse carried Arabic script similar to that found on older gold coins from the reign of Mustafa IV. The date is AH 1223 year 1, which translates to about 1808 AD.
The first specimen was sold by Heritage Auction Galleries (Lot 13227) on September 9, 2004, for $1380. The catalog description noted, "Mahmud II gold Zeri Mahbub 1223AH Year 1, choice AU and fully lustrous, somewhat crudely struck with a small edge flaw. Extremely rare type, and only the second known example of this regnal year, the other being NP-777. The style is remarkably similar to the Zeri Mahbubs of Selim III, including the small dot ornament to the right of the tughra. From the Lake Pearl Middle Eastern Collection." The second specimen was lot 22227 in Stack's Bowers ANA Auction (Denver, CO, August 2017), where it sold for $235. The catalog description[1] noted, "EGYPT. Zeri Mahbub, AH 1223 (1808-09). Mahmud II, AH 1223-55. ANACS EF-45. Slightly weak strike, lustrous and attractive."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.875 fine gold, 23-26mm, crude flan; the first specimen 23 mm, 2.32 grams.
Catalog reference: KM-197; Fr-61 (formerly Fr-2).
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio and Chris Chatigny, The August 2017 Denver ANA Auction: Ancients, Selections from The Richard Stuart Collection & World Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2017.
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