1 Akce - Mahmud Bey

Historical Context: This 1 Akce coin was issued by Mahmud Bey, a ruler of the Hamidid Beylik in southwestern Anatolia, during the period of 1320-1329. Following the decline of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, numerous independent Turkish principalities, known as Beyliks, emerged. The issuance of coinage, particularly in silver, was a definitive assertion of sovereignty and economic independence for these nascent states. Mahmud Bey's Akce thus represents the Hamidid Beylik's distinct political and economic identity amidst the fragmented Anatolian landscape, preceding the later widespread adoption of the Akce by the rising Ottoman Empire.

Artistry: The engraver of this specific coin remains anonymous, typical for early Beylik coinage. Stylistically, it belongs to the early Anatolian Turkish school, characterized by a functional and predominantly epigraphic design. The artistry focuses on the elegant rendering of Arabic script, which would typically include the ruler's name, Mahmud Bey, and possibly a religious invocation. Given the small flan, the design would have been compact, prioritizing legibility of the essential sovereign and religious declarations over elaborate pictorial elements, reflecting the aniconic traditions of Islamic art.

Technical/Grading: This 1 Akce coin, weighing 0.78 grams and measuring 18 millimeters, is a small, thin silver issue. High-points for wear and strike quality would typically be observed on the central portions of the prominent calligraphic elements, such as the taller letters and diacritics. Technical strike qualities often include irregular flans, variable striking pressure leading to uneven relief, and potential off-centering, common characteristics of minting practices during this era. The relatively thin flan can also contribute to weakness in the strike, particularly towards the edges, making fully struck examples scarcer.