Catalog
20 Para - Mahmud II
| Issuer | Egypt |
|---|---|
| Year | 1808-1817 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | 1 mm |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The regnal year (regal year number) appears at the top of the field in Arabic numerals, while the accession year 1223 AH is inscribed at the bottom. The central area bears the mint and date inscription in Arabic script, denoting the place of striking as Misr (Egypt). The overall layout follows the standard Ottoman provincial coinage format, with legends arranged in horizontal lines across the field. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Egypt under Mahmud II occupied an awkward administrative position — nominally an Ottoman province, but effectively under the control of Muhammad Ali Pasha from 1805 onward. Coinage struck in Cairo during this period reflects that tension: Ottoman imperial types maintained for legitimacy, while actual political authority had already shifted decisively to a man who would eventually go to war with the very sultan whose name appeared on the coins.
Billon issues from this period are frequently found debased beyond their nominal silver content, a consequence of Muhammad Ali's aggressive monetization of whatever metal was available during his consolidation of power.