500 Kurus - Abdülaziz Constantinople

Abdülaziz came to the throne in 1861 inheriting an empire already deep in debt from Crimean War borrowing, and his reign only accelerated the financial deterioration — the Ottoman state would formally default in 1875, three years after this issue ceased. The 500 kuruş represented the highest denomination gold coin in regular Ottoman production, struck at the Constantinople mint during a period when Western creditors were watching imperial finances with increasing alarm.

KM#698 is known with tughra variants across the reign, and collectors distinguish early from late strikes accordingly.