Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 20 Qirsh 1917, KM# 322, Egypt, Hussein Kamel
  • 20 Qirsh 1917, KM# 322, Egypt, Hussein Kamel
Description

The Sultanate of Egypt was the short-lived protectorate that the United Kingdom imposed over Egypt between 1914 and 1922.

From 1882-1922, Britain formally occupied Egypt and controlled its government. At first, in what was called a veiled protectorate, Britain managed the Egyptian budget, took over the training of its military, and (although it had no legal authority to do so) basically ran Egypt through a series of commissions designed to protect British investments. The veiled protectorate lasted from 1882-1914, after which Britain declared war on the Ottoman Empire and named Egypt a formal protectorate, meaning it took complete control of the nation. However, the movement of British troops out of Cairo during World War I gave revolutionaries a chance to unite and anti-British rebellions popped up. In 1922, Britain resolved the problem by declaring Egypt independent.

Sultan Hussein Kamel (1853–1917) was the Sultan of Egypt from 19 December 1914 to 9 October 1917. He was declared Sultan of Egypt on 19 December 1914, after the occupying British forces had deposed his nephew, Khedive Abbas Hilmi II, on 5 November 1914.

Obverse

Depicts the tughra of Sultan Hussein Kamel above the accession date within a wreath.

A tughra is a calligraphic monogram, seal or signature of a sultan that was affixed to all official documents and correspondence. It was also carved on his seal and stamped on the coins minted during his reign. Tughras served a purpose similar to the cartouche in ancient Egypt or the Royal Cypher of British monarchs, every Ottoman sultan had his own individual tughra.

السلطان حسين كامل
١٣٣٣

Reverse

Value in English and Arabic in the centre within wreath, country name (Sultanate of Egypt) above, year (left in Western, right in Arabic) and mintmark below.

السلطنة المصرية
20 ٢٠
PIASTRES قرشا
1917 H ١٣٣٥

Edge

20 Qirsh (Piastres)

Sultanate, British Protectorate
KM# 322
Characteristics
Material Silver
Fineness 0.833
Weight 28 g
Diameter 39 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Heaton Mint, Birmingham (H)

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