Egypt AH 1223(32) 1 qirsh
The coin shown is a one qirsh, composition silver, from the reign of Sultan Mahmud II. It was struck at the Cairo Mint. The obverse bears the toughra, or signature, of the sultan. Below the toughra is the denomination (qirsh), abbreviated as 'sh', with the number 1 above. 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 32, which translates to about 1838 AD. This was one of the first series to be struck on milled planchets.
The specimen shown was sold as lot 13216 on Sept 9, 2004 at the 2004 September (HWCA) Signature Sale #357, for $80.50. The catalog description reads "Mahmud II Piastre 1223AH, KM182, Year 28 Fine and 29 VF+ cleaned, and KM183, Year 29 XF cleaned, 30 Fine, 31 Fine with dent and 32 VG, plus KM184 5 Piastres 1223/29, Fair, corroded and heavily scratched, but rare. From the Lake Pearl Middle Eastern Collection."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.4 g, 19 mm diameter, 0.833 silver.
Catalog reference: KM 183.
- 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.
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