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Akçe - Suleiman I circular legend
| Issuer | Ottoman Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1520 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 0.54 g |
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| Obverse description | The obverse field bears a multi-line Arabic legend disposed concentrically across the flan, struck on a characteristically irregular hammered planchet. The inscription reads the sultan's titulature in a bold, somewhat compressed Naskh-derived script typical of early sixteenth-century Ottoman coinage. The legend identifies the issuing ruler by name and lineage, filling the available field without a formal border. The coin's small module and the nature of hammered production result in occasional weak strikes at the periphery. No figural or geometric ornamental device is present; the field is entirely devoted to the epigraphic text. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Suleiman I came to the throne in 1520 following the death of Selim I, whose aggressive monetary debasement had already reduced the akçe significantly from its 15th-century weight standard. The circular legend format used on this type was a deliberate departure from earlier squared cartouche arrangements, likely reflecting chancellery fashion at the Porte rather than any functional minting rationale.
At 0.54g, this piece sits near the floor of akçe weight decline — Mehmed II's mid-15th century issues had run closer to 0.85g.