Turkey 1951 500 kurush
This specimen was lot 54469 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2024), where it sold for $3,240. The catalog description[1] noted, "TURKEY. 500 Kurush, 1951. Istanbul Mint. NGC Unc Details--Obverse Cleaned. "Monnaie de Luxe" type. An exceptional RARITY owing to its paltry mintage figure, this stunning "monnaie de luxe" type radiates with stunning brilliance that verges upon a mirror-like nature to the surfaces. Meanwhile, the color is golden-orange and highly tantalizing. Some minor obverse hairlines account for the designation, but do not detract from all that it has to offer." This type was struck starting in 1942 thru at least 2010 (the last date noted in the SCWC). Despite the tiny mintage, no premium is given it in the SCWC. The other 500 kuruş featuring Kemal Ataturk (KM 859) is dated 1923, followed by a regnal year. It is not known circulated.
Recorded mintage: 21.
Specification: 35.08 g, 0.917 fine gold, 1.0342 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-208 (formerly Fr-94); KM-874.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, January 2024 NYINC Auction, featuring the Emilio M Ortiz Collection and a Symphony of Russian Rarities, the Rothschild-Piatigorsky Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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