Catalog
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
| Issuer | Ottoman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1773 |
| 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 | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | 1 mm |
| 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 | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Smooth |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The besparalik — literally "five paras" — emerged as a practical response to chronic small-denomination shortages that plagued Ottoman commerce through the mid-eighteenth century. Abdülhamid I ascended to the throne in 1774 under immediate military pressure from the disastrous Russo-Turkish War, making issues from the preceding year administratively transitional in character. The Kostantiniyye mint was the empire's most active, but output quality during this period was inconsistent due to silver supply disruptions tied directly to wartime treasury strain.