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1 Memduhiye Altin - Abdülmecid I Kostantiniyye
| Issuer | Ottoman Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1255 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by the elaborate calligraphic tughra of Sultan Abdülmecid I, rendered in high relief in the traditional Ottoman style with characteristic ascending shafts (tuğ), looping bowls (beyze), and a rightward extending baseline (hançer). A floral spray or foliate ornament appears to the upper right of the tughra. The design is contained within a plain inner circle, surrounded by a finely reeded or rope-pattern border running along the coin's rim. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic |
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| Additional information |
The Memduhiye series was introduced under Abdülmecid I as part of the broader Tanzimat-era currency reforms, which sought to rationalize a coinage system that had become chaotic through decades of debasement and regional variation. The 1255 AH date corresponds to 1839 AD — the same year Abdülmecid ascended the throne at just sixteen years old, following his father Mahmud II's death during an active war with Egypt.
KM#659 is among the smaller denominations of this gold series, struck at Constantinople with a fineness that reflected the compromises already baked into Tanzimat monetary policy — ambitious in principle, constrained in execution.