Turkey AH1336(1) 20 kurush
This specimen was lot 3178 in Goldberg sale 98 (Los Angeles, June 2017), where it sold for $258.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "Turkey. 20 Kurush (20 Piastres), AH1336/1 (1917). Muhammed VI, 1918-1922. Obverse: Toughra with no flower in field. Toned. NGC graded AU-50. WINGS." This specimen is from a series struck in Istanbul during the reign of Sultan Muhammed VI (r. 1918-23), the last Ottoman sultan. 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 1336 (= 1917 A.D.) while the obverse bears the regnal year 1 (= 1917 A.D.). 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 1336-37 (1917-18) and is the last of the denomination. At the end of World War One, the sultan was a puppet of Ataturk and his friends, soon to be deposed.
Recorded mintage: unknown but not common.
Specification: 24.05 g, .830 fine silver, .641 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: KM-818, Dav-407.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- 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]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, John Lavender, Yifu Che, Jason Villareal and Stephen Harvey, Goldberg Sale 98: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2017.
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