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1/4 Zeri Mahbub
| Issuer | Ottoman Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1813-1820 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/4 Zeri Mahbub (⅞) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic |
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents three lines of Arabic inscription arranged vertically from top to bottom within a beaded border. The uppermost element is the regnal year (the year of reign, e.g. 8), followed by the mint formula in Arabic script, and concluding with the Hijri accession year 1223. The inscription reads 'Duriba fi Qustantiniyah' (struck in Constantinople), identifying the place of minting. The layout is typical of Ottoman gold coinage of the period, with the accession year 1223 AH serving as the fixed dating formula. |
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| Additional information |
The Zeri Mahbub — literally "beloved gold" in Ottoman Turkish — was a coin denomination introduced in Egypt following the Ottoman reconquest of the province, minted at the Misr mint in Cairo. The quarter fraction saw heavy use in Egyptian commerce during a period when Mehmed Ali Pasha was consolidating his grip on the province, simultaneously purging the Mamluk beys and reorganizing fiscal administration to fund his military ambitions.
Cairo-struck gold of this period is frequently found clipped or test-marked, reflecting persistent local suspicion of coin fineness.