Catalog
Akçe Orhan Gazi, dependency from the Ilkhanids
| Issuer | Ottoman Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1324-1362 |
| 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 | 18 mm |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| 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 | Central field features the name and title of Orhan Gazi inscribed in Arabic script within a stylized floral or star-shaped geometric frame, typical of early Ottoman hammered coinage. The primary legend reads 'Orhan, May Allah perpetuate his kingdom' (اورخان حل الله ملكه), arranged concentrically within the decorative border. The overall design reflects the Ilkhanid artistic influence prevalent in early Ottoman numismatic tradition. The flan is irregular and slightly uneven, as is characteristic of hand-struck silver issues of this period. The field shows raised interlaced calligraphic elements consistent with early 14th-century Anatolian coinage style. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Arabic |
| 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 |
Orhan Gazi's reign saw the Ottomans assert enough independence from the collapsing Ilkhanid framework to strike their own silver coinage — a significant political act for what was still a frontier principality competing with a dozen other Anatolian beyliks for legitimacy and territory. The Ilkhanid monetary system had dominated Anatolia for decades, and Orhan's akçe signaled a deliberate break from that dependency, placing his own name on the coin in place of a Mongol overlord's.
These are among the earliest dateable Ottoman coins. The weight standard reflects the transitional moment — not yet fully standardized in the manner of later Ottoman mints at Bursa and Edirne.