Egypt AH 1223(22) 1/2 zeri mahbub
This specimen was lot 646 in Stephen Album sale 37 (Santa Rosa, CA, June 2020), where it sold for $190.40. The catalog description[1] noted, "EGYPT: Mahmud II, 1808-1839, AV ½ zeri mahbub, Misr, AH1223 year 22, much original luster, Unc, R, ex Gamal Amer Collection." The coin shown is a gold half 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, after which gold coins were denominated in qirsh. The obverse bears the toughra, or signature, of the sultan, with an ornate boundary of script and flowers. In this variety, no denominational value appears under the toughra. The reverse carries the ascension date and the text minted in Misr (Misr is Arabic for Egypt). The date is written as AH 1223 year 22, which translates to about 1828 AD. This type was struck years 21-28.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.7-0.8 g, 0.875 fine gold, 16 mm diameter, this specimen 0.92 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-65, KM-195, UBK-93.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Uslu, Kaan, Beyazit, M. Fatih, and Kara, Tuncay, Ottoman Empire Coins 1687-1839 (AH 1099-1255), Istanbul: Anka Matbaacilik, 2010.
- 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.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 37, featuring the Gamal Amer Collection of Egyptian Coins and the Ahmed Sultan Collection of Ottoman Coins, Part II, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2020.
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