Turkey 1926 500 kurush
The first specimen was lot 41412 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2019), where it sold for $2,040. The catalog description[1] noted, "TURKEY. 500 Kurush, 1926 (AH 1336 Year 23). NGC MS-61. From a mintage of 2,268 pieces. Outstanding quality for this often-abused issue with beaming luster in the field, sharply detailed central designs and boldly raised rims. RARELY encountered finer. From the Collection of Dr. James Eustace Bizzell, II." The second specimen was part of lot 31324 in Heritage sale 3089 (Dallas, TX, January 2021), where it sold for $8,100. The catalog description[2] noted,
"Turkey. Republic 5-Piece Certified gold Denomination Set AH 1336 Year 23 (1926-1928) NGC, 1) 25 Kurush 1927 - MS62, 2) 50 Kurush 1928 - MS64. 3) 100 Kurush 1927 - MS62 Prooflike. 4) 250 Kurush 1927 - MS63 Prooflike. 5) 500 Kurush 1926 - MS63+ Proolike. An intriguing set of these early and comparatively low-mintage Republican gold types, all of which rank as the finest certified for their individual denominations at NGC. Usually a notoriously abused series that frequently saw cleaning and use in jewelry, the pieces on offer here demonstrate decidedly sharp quality, each being bound in its designation by just a few scattered bagmarks. Of even greater interest is the fact that although the Turkish Republic had officially received international recognition in 1923, these coins continue to carry Mehmed VI's, the last Ottoman sultan's, accession year, the additional 23 likely referring to the founding of the Republic. This is the first such set we have seen, and is sold with a custom plastic holder labeled 'Type Gold.'"
This type was struck 1925-29 along with KM 848 (monnaie de luxe), which was struck 1927-28 only. It is dual dated AH 1336 (١٣٣٦)/(١٩٢٦) 1926 AD. It was accompanied by KM 843 (250 kurush), KM 842 (100 kurush), KM 841 (50 kurush) and KM 840 (25 kurush) in gold. It's not certain if the regime seriously intended this issue to circulate; most survivors show jewelry damage rather than wear. The third specimen was lot 76479 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2025), where it sold for $5,520. The catalog description[1] noted, "TURKEY. 500 Kurush, AH 1336 (1926). Istanbul Mint. NGC MS-62. A gold issue in a seldom-seen state of preservation for the type, with nearly mark-free field and flashy field luster. The strike is bold, yielding a bold obverse rim and fully realizing the elegant raised features."
Recorded mintage: 2,268.
Specification: 36.08 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-193; KM-839.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio, Matt Orsini and Cris Chatigny, The January 2019 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2018.
- [2]Cristiano Bierrenbach and Warren Tucker, Heritage World Coin Auction 3064, featuring the Doug Robins Collection of Canadian Tokens, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
- [3]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients, World Coins & World Paper Money, David B. Simpson Medals & World Coins Part 1, Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection, and Selections from the L. E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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