Turkey AH 1223(16) 1/2 surre altin
This specimen was lot 34530 in Heritage sale 3067 (Long Beach, September 2018), where it sold for $384. The catalog description[1] noted, "Ottoman Empire. Mahmud II gold 1/2 Surre Altin AH 1223 Year 16 (1822/23) MS66 PCGS, Dar al-Khilafa al-'aliyya mint (in Turkey). A stunning little gem, blessed with a full cartwheel luster, and a needle point strike. From the Feeling Good Collection." This denomination, the quarter and the single al-aliye surre altin and the similar esseniye surre altin (KM 625) were struck especially for pilgrims going to Mecca. They are now rare. The gold was the victim of frequent manipulation and the denominations changed names in a confusing manner. 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. Matters were regularized in the reign of Abdul Mejid, with gold coins issued in multiples of the kuruş. This type was struck years 15-16.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.78 g, gold, 15-16 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 620.
- 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 1687-1839 (AH 1099-1255), Istanbul: Anka Matbaacilik, 2010.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2018 September 6-11 Long Beach Expo World Coins & Ancient Coins Signature Auction #3067, Dallas: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
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