Ottoman, Mahmud II, 5 Kurush,Kostantiniye AH 1223

[capnbirdseye]

This is a large copper coin but with a milled edge,   it's 39mm  and the weight is  15.20g

I've worked out that it's Mahmud II, AH1223/ RY26 and the mint is  Kostantiniyye but I cannot find the denomination as the only similar ones appear to be silver

[Figleaf]

This is a 5 kurush, KM 599, silver content is 0.1700. The odd shine and colour of the copper is due to the tiny drop of silver it contains This was a time of high inflation in the Ottoman empire.

Peter

[capnbirdseye]

This is a 5 kurush, KM 599, silver content is 0.1700. The odd shine and colour of the copper is due to the tiny drop of silver it contains This was a time of high inflation in the Ottoman empire.

Peter

Wow, must be so low in silver to make it look as coppery as it does,perhaps it should be classed as billon

[Figleaf]

Billon would be even more confusing. It can mean anything from almost pure silver (melted coins are called billon) to no silver, also called German silver and new silver. I once wrote an article on the lack of definition of the word, but used remarks of other parties who didn't want them published, so I gave up on it.

Peter

[capnbirdseye]

There a few of these on zeno, some are silver washed but all are designated as billon,  the dot below the wreath has some significance but I could not fathom what it is
These were apparently known as karakuş (meaning black bird) or karakuruş (meaning black piaster) because of the almost negligible silver content

[Manzikert]

This is the 9th issue, at 17% silver, distinguished from the 8th issue (at 22% if I remember rightly) by the addition of the dot.

I've always been fascinated by these two series, and I've managed to get a few which are fully silvered, such as the 20 para below which is stunning considering it is just 17%!

Alan

[capnbirdseye]

More silver than mine for sure Alan, is that silver washed over the surface as some mentioned on zeno refer to this

[Manzikert]

I understand it is more that the blanks were 'pickled' in something which dissolved out the copper from the surface, which became effectively a very thin layer of pure silver and formed a thin continuous skin when struck.

Alan

[Figleaf]

This was the sort of coin Cypriot shopkeepers used to shortchange any British tourist, including the armed ones. The armed tourists won, eventually and at the cost of weird denominations on Cypriot coins

Peter

[milkshakespeare]

This is the 9th issue, at 17% silver, distinguished from the 8th issue (at 22% if I remember rightly) by the addition of the dot.

I've always been fascinated by these two series, and I've managed to get a few which are fully silvered, such as the 20 para below which is stunning considering it is just 17%!

Alan

I've got coins of this series with and without the dot, and to me they look very similar. No wonder they decided to add the dot! My coins are well circulated and if they have any traces of silvering, it is right next to the letters and design details. Ottoman coins of this period are absolutely fascinating!

I wonder if the coins with the dot had a different value than the coins without it.

[Manzikert]

The designs are exactly the same except for the dates and the dot. As far as I know they were tariffed the same, even with the lower silver content.

Alan

[aws22]

Dear All, the data for this coin is as follows:
Ottoman, Sultan Mahmud II, 1223 AH/Yr 26, Beslik (5 Kurus), Silver, Qustantiniya (Constantinople) mint (1223-1255 AH)(1808-1839 AD) KM 599.
Date 1223/Yr 26 equivalent to 1248 AH (1833 AD)
Weight varies from 13 to 16 gm
Diameter 39 mm
Metal Silver 0.170
To the right of Tugra " Adli عدلي "
Dot on both sides at the bottom of the ¾ inner wreath

Maythem