Egypt AH 1223(30) 20 para
The coin shown is a silver twenty para from the reign of Sultan Mahmud II. It was struck 1835-38 at the Cairo Mint. The obverse bears the toughra, or signature, of the sultan. The reverse carries the ascension date and the text minted in Misr (Misr is Arabic for Egypt). The background is unadorned. The date is written as AH 1223 year 29, which translates to about 1835 AD. This was one of the first series to be struck on milled planchets. It is rather expensive for such a nondescript coin but is more available than prior types (KM 176 and KM 177). This specimen was lot 1003 in Sincona sale 18 (Zürich, May 2014), where it sold for CHF 60 (about US$79 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"20 Para 1836. Sehr schön. (Egypt, twenty para of 1836, very fine.)"
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.833 fine silver, 15-16 mm diameter, this specimen 0.65 g.
Catalog reference: KM 178.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Valentine, W.H., Modern Copper Coins of the Muhammadan States, London: Spink and Sons, 1911.
- [1]Numismatic Coins, Medals, & Banknotes: Auction 18, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2014.
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