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40 Para - Mahmud II type B, local imitation
| Issuer | Tripoli, Regency of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1808 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | The elaborate tughra of Sultan Mahmud II occupies the upper and central portion of the field, rendered in bold calligraphic strokes characteristic of local Tripolitan workmanship. Below the tughra, the mint name and regnal year are inscribed in Arabic script across two lines, reading 'Struck in Tripoli West 1223.' A small decorative ornament appears to the upper right of the tughra. The coin exhibits a beaded border around the circumference, and the planchet shows the irregular fabric typical of locally produced imitations. A hole is visible near the upper rim, suggesting the piece was once mounted or worn as a pendant. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Arabic |
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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.