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Beslik - Mahmud II Kostantiniyye mint
| Issuer | Ottoman Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1810-1818 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | KM#564 |
| Obverse description | Central field features the elaborate tughra (imperial monogram) of Mahmud II surmounted by a floral ornament, all contained within a beaded inner circle. The tughra is rendered in the classical Ottoman calligraphic style with characteristic loop and extended strokes. A continuous foliate or geometric decorative band fills the area between the beaded circle and the outer rim. Note: coin weight is reported to vary between 24.00 and 26.00 grams across the series. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | محمود |
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| Additional information |
The beslik — a five-piastre denomination — was introduced under Mahmud II as part of his broader effort to rationalize Ottoman coinage following decades of severe debasement under Selim III and the monetary chaos of the Janissary-dominated court. By 1810, the silver content of circulating coinage had collapsed so dramatically that public confidence in Ottoman currency was near its nadir. The beslik represented a partial corrective, though the .730 fineness it was struck to still reflected significant compromise from earlier Ottoman silver standards.
Kostantiniyye-struck pieces from this reign often show variation in planchet quality across the issue's eight-year span.