Tunisia AH 1294 25 piastres
The coin shown is a gold twenty-five piastre from the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, 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 onward, 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 640 on Dec 13, 2011 at the Kunker Auction #199 in Osnabruck, Germany, where it sold for 300 euros. The catalog description reads:
"OSMANISCHE MÜNZEN 'ABD AL-HAMÎD KHAN II. (TÜRKEI-TÜRKISCH: ABDÜLHAMIT HAN) 10. SHA’BÂN 1293 - 6. RABÎ II 1327 H. 31. AUGUST 1876 - 27. APRIL 1909, GESTORBEN 10. FEBRUAR 1918 Goldprägungen der Münzstätte Tûnis 25 Riyal 1294 H., Tûnis. Mit Namen des Muhammad as-Sâdiq. Vorzüglich (Ottoman coins of Abdul Hamid II (1876-1909), gold twenty-five riyals of AH 1294, Tunis mint, in the name of Muhammad al-Sadiq Bey. Extremely fine.)"
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: 4.92 g, 0.900 fine gold, 0.1424 oz. AGW; this specimen 4.81 g.
Catalog reference: Fenina 488; KM 196; Ölcer 34.824.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
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