Obverse. Photo © biddr
  • 10 Qirsh 1861-1863, KM# 256, Egypt, Eyalet / Khedivate, Abdülaziz
  • 10 Qirsh 1861-1863, KM# 256, Egypt, Eyalet / Khedivate, Abdülaziz
Description

Abdülaziz (1830–1876) was the 32nd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and reigned between 25 June 1861 and 30 May 1876. He was the first Ottoman Sultan who travelled to Western Europe, visiting a number of important European capitals including Paris, London and Vienna in the summer of 1867.

Apart from his passion for the Ottoman Navy, which had the world's third-largest fleet in 1875 (after the British and French navies), the Sultan took an interest in documenting the Ottoman Empire. He was also interested in literature and was a talented classical music composer. He was deposed on grounds of mismanaging the Ottoman economy on 30 May 1876 and was found dead six days later under unnatural and mysterious circumstances.

The Eyalet of Egypt operated as an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire from 1517 to 1867. It originated as a result of the conquest of Mamluk Egypt by the Ottomans in 1517, following the Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–17) and the absorption of Syria into the Empire in 1516. Egypt always proved a difficult province for the Ottoman Sultans to control, due in part to the continuing power and influence of the Mamluks, the Egyptian military caste who had ruled the country for centuries.

Obverse

Tughra in Abdülaziz name with a flower at right, value below.

A tughra (Ottoman Turkish: طغرا‎ tuğrâ) 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.

عبد العزيز خان بن محمود مظفر دائما
١٠
ش

Reverse

Arabic legend with the year of the Sultan's reign on top and Ottoman Turkish legend "Struck in Egypt" and the accession year in Hejira (AH1277) below.

The date of the accession is accepted as the first year and is called "cülüs". The issuing date is a sum of the accession and regnal years minus 1.

٤
ضرب في
مصر
١٢٧٧

Edge

10 Qirsh (Piastres)

Eyalet, Tughra with flower
KM# 256
Characteristics
Material Silver
Fineness 0.900
Weight 14 g
Diameter -
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Misr Mint

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