Catalog
40 Para - Mahmud II type B, local imitation
| Issuer | Tripoli, Regency of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1808 |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Reverse description | Four horizontal lines of bold Arabic calligraphic legend fill the entire field, conferring the full Ottoman royal titulature upon the Sultan. The inscription reads 'Sultan of the Two Lands and Khan of the Two Seas, the Sultan, son of the Sultan,' arranged in four registers separated by plain horizontal lines. The lettering is deeply struck in a robust, slightly crude style consistent with local Tripolitan die-cutting practice. A beaded border encircles the design, and the irregular flan edge reflects the hand-hammered production method. A small hole pierces the upper rim, mirroring the obverse. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Ottoman provincial coinage from Tripolitania in this period occupies a murky zone between official issue and tolerated forgery. The Regency at Tripoli operated with considerable autonomy under the Karamanli dynasty, and local monetary production frequently diverged from Istanbul's standards in both fineness and fabric. This piece imitates the Mahmud II type introduced after his accession in 1808, but the "local imitation" designation signals it was struck outside any formal Ottoman mint authorization — almost certainly within Tripoli itself to address chronic small-change shortages the central administration had no practical means to remedy.
The weight of 12.38g sits noticeably heavy against most documented examples of this type, which may point to an early striking before the local die-cutters had calibrated their flans to match the prototype more closely.