Tunisia AH 1276 100 piastres
The coin shown is a gold hundred piastres from the reign of Sultan Abdul Mejid, minted in Tunis. After AH 1272, all coins mentioned the local ruler (or Bey) of Tunis, along with the Ottoman sultan. For the issues AH 1276-1277, the local Bey was Muhammad al-Sadiq. Tunisia was under the control of the Ottomans for centuries until lack of financial resources forced it into dependence on France, which made it a protectorate in 1881.
This specimen was lot 172 on Dec 13, 2011 at the Kunker Auction #199 in Osnabruck, Germany, where it sold for 1400 euros. The catalog description reads:
"OSMANISCHE MÜNZEN Münzen nach der Münzreform von 1845 Goldprägungen der Münzstätte Tûnis 100 Riyal 1276 H., Tûnis. Mit Muhammad as-Sâdiq Bay (1276-1299 H.). GOLD. R Vorzüglich (Ottoman coins of Abdul Aziz (1861-76), Tunis mint, gold hundred riyals of AH 1276, in the name of Muhammad al-Sadiq. Rare, extremely fine.)"
This type of AH 1276 is from the second series of milled gold coinage in Tunisia. It was larger than the contemporary Turkish hundred kurush, being worth about 267 kurush in gold.
Recorded mintage: unknown but rare.
Specifications: 19.70 g, gold, this specimen 19.39 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-1, Fenina 377; KM 141; Ölcer 31.609; Pere -.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
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