Turkey AH 1187(10) zeri mahbub
The first specimen was lot 2288 in Sincona sale 59 (Zürich, October 2019), where it sold for 180 CHF (about US$218 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"OSMANISCHES REICH | ´Abd al-Hamîd I., 1187-1203 H./1774-1789 AD, 1 Zer-i mahbûb 1187 H./Jahr 10, Islâmbûl (Istanbul). Tughra in 2. Form (Khân als unterste Zeile) über Mzst. und Jahr, Rv. Titel, Regierungsjahr am Ende der dritten Zeile. Vorzüglich-FDC. (Turkey, Abdul Hamid I, 1774-89, zeri mahbub of AH 1187, year 10, Istanbul mint. Obverse: Tughra in 2nd form (Khân as bottom line) over mintmark and date; reverse: Title, year of reign at the end of the third line. Extremely fine-uncirculated.)"
The second specimen was lot 283 in Steve Album Auction 51 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2025), where it sold for $450. The catalog description[2] noted, "TURKEY: Abdul Hamid I, 1774-1789, AV zeri mahbub, Islambul, AH1187 year 10, NGC graded MS64." 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. This type is listed fairly inexpensively in the SCWC for year 1 thru 15. However, the vast majority of survivors have been removed from jewelry. 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 years 2 thru 15.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 2.60 g, gold, the first specimen 2.62 g.
Catalog reference: Artuk 1867 (year 1). Pere 661, KM 416, Sultan coll. 1307.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Uslu, Kaan, Beyazit, M. Fatih, and Kara, Tuncay, Ottoman Empire Coins 1687-1839 (AH 1099-1255), Istanbul: Anka Matbaacilik, 2010.
- 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]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 51, featuring the Howard Daniel III Collection of Asian Coins, the Almer H. Orr III Collection of World Coins and the Joe Sedillot Collection of German Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2024.
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