Turkey AH1171(83) 1/2 zeri mahbub
This specimen was lot 2275 in Sincona sale 59 (Zürich, October 2019), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"OSMANISCHES REICH | Mustafâ III. 1171-1187 H./1757-1774 AD. 1/2 Zer-i mahbûb 1183 H., Islâmbûl (Istanbul). Tughra über Mzst. und Jahr des Regierungsanfangs, Rv. Titel, verkürztes Prägejahr am Anfang der vierten Zeile. Seltener Jahrgang. FDC. Breiter Schrötling. (Turkey, Mustafa III, 1757-74, half zeri mahbub of the year AH 1183, Istanbul mint. Obverse: toughra over mintmark and accession date; reverse: title with abbreviated date on fourth line. Rare date, Uncirculated, Broad flan.)"
Turkish issues before the reform of 1839 are a mess of constantly changing denominations as the government attempted to debase its way out of perpetual bankruptcy. The gold was the victim of frequent manipulation and the denominations changed names in a confusing manner. The SCWC lists zeri mahbubs, rumi altins, adli altins, yeni altins and hayriye altins for this period. Matters were regularized in the reign of Abdul Mejid, with gold coins issued in multiples of the kuruş. This type was struck AH 1180-1187.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.30 g, gold, this specimen 1.32 g.
Catalog reference: Artuk 1839 (unlisted date), Pere 619 (unlisted date), Sultan coll. 1184 (1182 H.), KM 328.
- 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, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Sincona Auction 59: Gold and Silver Coins and Medals; Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2019.
- Uslu, Kaan, Beyazit, M. Fatih, and Kara, Tuncay, Ottoman Empire Coins 1687-1839 (AH 1099-1255), Istanbul: Anka Matbaacilik, 2010.
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