© Stephen Album Rare Coins
© Stephen Album Rare Coins
¼ Mahmudi - Yahya
1240 (1825) year| Copper | 5.38 g | 14 mm |
| Issuer | Sharifate of Mecca (Saudi Arabia) |
|---|---|
| Emir | Yahya ibn Surur (1813-1827) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Year | 1240 (1825) |
| Calendar | Islamic (Hijri) |
| Value | ¼ Mahmudi |
| Currency | Mahmudi |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 5.38 g |
| Diameter | 14 mm |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-07 |
| Numista | N#104364 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 94% |
Reverse
Date encircled
Script: Arabic
Lettering:
سنه
١٢۴۰
Translation: Year 1240
Comment
Listed in Krause as ½ Mahmudi; however, from its weight, it's a ¼ Mahmudi and all auctions list it as such too.According to Stephen Album: "Struck circa AH1218-1240 possibly by Muslim manufacturers from India that came to Arabia to prepare these coins as they are rather heavy and resemble contemporary copper paisas of western India. This type was accidentally listed as a silver ½ Mahmudi in the 3rd edition of the Checklist."
Another example:
© Image courtesy of A. H. Baldwin & Sons Ltd
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about this coin is that it was issued during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II, who ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1808 to 1839. This coin was part of a series of coins issued during his reign to standardize the currency across the empire. The coin features the name of the sultan and the year of issue in both Arabic and Persian, reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Ottoman Empire at the time.