Help Identify Coin

mikeinar

My Grandpa gave this coin to me with some US coins. Its about the size of a US Half Dime. Any ideas?
Thanks
Mike

StrikeOutXXX

Pretty sure it's a Kurush from Turkey, but not 100%

lordmarcovan

It's from the former Ottoman Empire, which folded after WW1. Probably Turkey or Egypt. I don't have time or books open to attribute it any further than that off the top of my head, but somebody will be able to nail it soon.

The date appears to be 1293 AH, which would put it around 1876-ish, I believe.

mikeinar

Thanks for the welcome and replies. I didn't have any idea but it looks silver and old. I always wondered where it came from and how it ended up here in Arkansas.
Mike

Blackhawk

If it's the size of a half dime, I believe that it's a kurush from Turkey. The 1293/29 puts the year at about 1905 I think.

TitusFlavius

It looks like a Kurus or 2 Kurus (ca. 1.2 and 2.4 grams respectively) of the Ottoman Empire. The last line of text on the reverse identifies it as from the Qustantiniyah (Constantinople) mint. On the obverse the number 29 is the regnal year of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and corresponds best to 1903 AD. 31st edition of Krause lists both denominations at $2 in Fine.

Neat little coin from the "sick man of Europe".

WillieBoyd2

brogine

<< <i>It looks like a Kurus or 2 Kurus (ca. 1.2 and 2.4 grams respectively) of the Ottoman Empire. The last line of text on the reverse identifies it as from the Qustantiniyah (Constantinople) mint. On the obverse the number 29 is the regnal year of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and corresponds best to 1903 AD. >>



I'm confused about this. The year on the obverse is 1292 or 1293 AH, which is around when Abdulhamid's reign began (1876). Could the '29' be his age? It's certainly close. Or did the Ottoman Empire use a different calendar?

And what's this? - My Ottoman 100 kurus, with a year of 1327 AH (1909), and the same signature of Abdulhamid on the reverse as this one, just has a '4' in the position of the regnal year, under the signature.

tbirde56

The 1293/29 date is equivalent to 1876/1904AD. The 29 is the regnal date, or year of reign.
The 1327/4 date is equivalent to 1909/1912AD.
The Muslim year is based on a lunar calendar and is 11 days shorter than the Christian year so they don't match up exactly. You have to subtract 3% and then add 622 to get the equivalent Christian date.
You might also try a library for a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.

lordmarcovan

<< <i>I'm confused about this. The year on the obverse is 1292 or 1293 AH, which is around when Abdulhamid's reign began (1876). >>



This confused me, too, I admit.

lordmarcovan

PS- WB2- I just made out that postcard. The first time I saw it, I saw the sultan's face and fez. It looked awfully hexagonal to me.

The next time I looked at it, the "rest" of the picture came out at me. That's a really cool thing.

brogine

<< <i>
The 1327/4 date is equivalent to 1909/1912AD.
>>



Thanks, tbirde 56. I now understand the dating system much better, and I see that my coin is from the 4th year of Mehmed V. The signature is not quite the same as the Abdulhamid signature. I guess the main part is just various titles and honorifics.

mikeinar

Just for having it as a keepsake, what are your thoughts on sending it in for grading or would putting it in a regular holder be best?
Thanks
Mike

tbirde56

What is the diameter of the coin?
There were 7.075 million of the 15 millimeters 1 kurush coin minted of that date, it contains .0321 of an ounce of silver, and it may be worth about $1.
There were 7.775 million of the 18 millimeters 2 kurush coin minted of that date, it contains .0642 of an ounce of silver, and it may be worth about $2.