Turkey AH1327(4) 25 kurush
The first specimen was lot 2436 in Sincona sale 59 (Zürich, October 2019), where it sold for 90 CHF (about US$109 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"OSMANISCHES REICH | Muhammad V., 1327-1336 H./1909-1918 AD, 25 Kurush 1327 H./Jahr 4, Qustantînîya. Tughra neben monogrammiertem rashâd über dem Regierungsjahr auf Lorbeerzweigen und Pfeilköchern, Münzstättenangabe und Datum des Regierungsanfangs. Fast vorzüglich. (Turkey, Muhammed V, 1909-18, twenty-five kurush of AH 1327, year 4, Constantinople mint. Obverse: Tughra next to monogrammed reshâd over the regnal year on laurel branches and quivers, reverse: mintmark and accession date. About extremely fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 39775 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it did not sell. The catalog description[2] noted, "TURKEY. 25 Kurush, AH 1327 Year 4 (1912/13). Constantinople Mint. Mehmed V. PCGS MS-65." This specimen is from a series struck in Istanbul during the reign of Sultan Muhammed V (r. 1909-18). This denomination was introduced during the rule of Sultan Abdul Mejid (r. 1839-61). Ottoman coins were dated using regnal years; the reverse bears the date AH 1327 (= 1909 A.D.) while the obverse bears the regnal year 4 (= 1912). 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 1327-1332 (1909-14); some dates are listed with very low mintages. The last gold 25 kuruş of this size was issued in 1929, under Ataturk's Republic.
Recorded mintage: 338,172.
Specification: 1.80 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen 1.77 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-54. KM 752. Ölcer 35.048. Pere 1027. Sultan coll. 694.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Sincona Auction 59: Gold and Silver Coins and Medals; Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2019.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, January 2025 NYINC Showcase Auction, featuring the Richard Margolis Collection, Part III, and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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