Egypt AH 1223(32) 20 para
The coin shown is a 20 para, 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 (para), abbreviated as 'p', with the number 20 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 13215 on Sept 9, 2004 at the 2004 September (HWCA) Signature Sale #357, for $103. The catalog description reads "Mahmud II 20 Para 1223AH, seven examples as follows: KM177 Year 28 Fine, 29 Fine and VF, and KM178 Year 30 VG, 31 F-VF and 32, VG holed and VG damaged. From the Lake Pearl Middle Eastern Collection."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.833 fine silver.
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.
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