Catalog
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| Issuer | Tripoli, Regency of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1808 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | KM#219 |
| Obverse description | Central field occupied by the ornate tughra of Sultan Mahmud II, rendered in flowing Ottoman calligraphic style. The word 'Fidda' (فضه, silver) appears in the upper right of the field, while the regnal year '28' (٢٨) appears in the upper left, indicating the 28th year of the Ottoman calendar cycle. The entire design is enclosed within a wreath border composed of stylized foliate branches. The overall presentation is characteristic of Ottoman provincial coinage struck at Tripoli. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central field bears a multi-line Arabic inscription naming the mint and the date of issue, enclosed within a wreath border of stylized foliate branches mirroring the obverse surround. The inscription identifies the striking location as Tripoli of the West (طرابلس غرب) and records the Hijri date 1223. The calligraphic arrangement is bold and centrally composed, consistent with provincial Ottoman hammered coinage of the early 19th century. The coin shows characteristic irregular flan edges typical of hand-struck issues from this mint. |
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| Additional information |
The Regency of Tripoli operated as an Ottoman vassal under the Karamanli dynasty until 1835, issuing coinage in the name of the reigning sultan as a formal acknowledgment of suzerainty — even when actual Ottoman authority over the province was largely nominal. Mahmud II came to power in 1808 following the violent deposition of Mustafa IV, and coins struck in his name across the provincial mints appeared almost immediately as a standard assertion of the new sultan's legitimacy.
KM#219 is distinguished from later Mahmud II issues out of Tripoli by its heavier fabric, a characteristic of the Type A classification before weight standards were revised downward mid-reign.