Turkey AH1223(10) 2 rumi altin
This specimen is from a series struck in Istanbul during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II (r. 1808-39). Ottoman coins were dated using regnal years; the reverse bears the date AH 1223 (= 1808 A.D.) while the obverse bears the regnal year 10 (AH 1232 = November 1816-November 1817). The Hejira calendar uses a lunar year instead of a solar year, so its starting date moves from year to year. This type was issued AH 1230-1236 (1814-21). 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 specimen was lot 2091 in Stack's Coin Galleries sale (Irvine, July 2011).
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.7-4.8 g, gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-93, KM 614.
- 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, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Uslu, Kaan, Beyazit, M. Fatih, and Kara, Tuncay, Ottoman Empire Coins, Istanbul: Mas Matbaacilik A.S., 2007.
- [1]Van Valen, Frank, and Vicken Yegparian, The July 2011 Coin Galleries Sale, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, 2011.
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