ID two Ottoman coins, please?

[moonmoth]

The first was bought as a Mahmud II 3 piastres, year 26 = 1248 AH. It is 28mm and weighs 2.63g.

The second was bought just as a coin of Mustafa III, 1178 AH.  It is 25mm, 3.83 grammes.

I would be grateful for ID on these - confirmation of rulers and dates, and denominations.  Also, what do they say?  I presume the obverses are stylised signatures of the rulers. Is the mint on there somewhere?

Thanks!

[Manzikert]

Hi Bill

Both are correctly identified as to ruler and years. The top one is actually a one and a half piastre (2.6-3 gms: a 3 piastre would be 5.6-6.2 gm). It has the mintname Constantinople on the bottom two lines of the reverse above the accession date (1223 H), the two lines in the middle are 'duriba fi', struck at or in, and the top two lines are 'S' for 'sanat', year, and 23 for the regnal year (backwards 7 and 7).

The second one is actually dated [11]80 (upside down V and dot) on the top line of the reverse.
It is a 10 para (nominal weight 4.42 gm, but yours is worn and holed ). The mint name is the last line on the reverse, and is Islambul, an alternative name for Constantinople. KM 306

Best wishes

Alan

[moonmoth]

Thanks, Alan.  Knowledgeable and helpful as usual!

[moonmoth]

Alan, I now have this larger brassy coin of the same period as the first coin, so Mahmud II. It is dated 1222 with the regnal year apparently 26 (?).  What is the demonination, please?

It is 37mm across and weight 7.25 grammes.  I have another dated a year later, the same size but looking more coppery and weighing 7.95 grammes.

Thanks!

[Manzikert]

Hi Bill

These are actually jewellery copies: the real pieces are base silver (.435 fine) not brass.

The weights don't match any denomination: the 3 piastre in this series is 5.6-6.2 gm and the 6 piastre is 11-13 gm. Having said that, I think they are imitating the 6 piastre. The genuine pieces are dated years 26-32.

Apart from the weights, one giveaway is the poor quality of the engraving: compare them to the superior workmanship of the first piece in this post and I think you'll see what I mean.

Another giveaway is the multiple piercings: a few years ago there were lots of these around in the form of earrings with the wire hook for an ear piercing through the top single hole and three smaller 'coins' of the same series suspended from the bottom holes. I think I have a few of these with my jewellery copies: if so I'll scan and post them.

Best wishes

Alan

[moonmoth]

Thanks, Alan.  Actually, I got this because of its piercings.  As you say, it's pretty clear how this piece was used, and I will be putting it on one of my holed coins pages.  Just having holes doesn't mean it's a copy - there are very many holed coins around.

I got this with a bunch of smaller holed pieces, but none of them are the same type. 

Bill