Turkey 1928 50 kurush
The first specimen was lot 3293 in Künker sale 294 (Osnabrück, Germany, July 2017), where it sold for €460 (about US$620 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"TÜRKEI, Republik seit 1923. 50 Piaster 1928, Istanbul. GOLD. R Vorzüglich. (republic of Turkey, since 1923, fifty kurush of 1928, Istanbul mint. Scarce, extremely fine.)"
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 1926-29 along with a nickel 25 kurush (KM 837) and a monnaie de luxe (KM 844). It does not have a high catalog value but is seldom seen. It is among the first Turkish coins to bear the Common Era date (1927) instead of the Hegira date (AH 1346), doubtless decreed by Ataturk himself.
Recorded mintage: 2,431.
Specification: 3.608 g, 0.917 fine gold, the first specimen 35.74 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-196 (formerly Fr-82); Schl. 792, KM 841.
- 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]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Katalog 294: Goldprägungen | Deutsche Münzen ab 1871 | Russische Münzen und Medaillen, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2017.
- [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.
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