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.
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.