Rare Ottoman Coins, Tokens and Medals

 OTTOMAN COINS, TOKENS AND MEDALS COINS OF OTTOMAN PERIOD

Osman Gazi minted the first coin of Ottoman Empire, which would be one of the distinctive Empires in the world and thus announced his name in Anatolia, which had too many conflicts then. This coin minted from silver and called akche remained in force as currency of Ottoman Empire until the 15th century without any devaluation. Orhan Gazi enlarging the borders of the Beylik with successful attacks, minted the akches in Ilhanlı style due to the pressure Ilhanlı in Anatolia and started to mint the akche in a different style containing only his name and a short pray upon death of governor Timurtaş.

Ottoman coins do not have long praying sentences. They contain name of Sultan and his name, name of the mint and mint date and short praying (wishing) sentences such as “hullide mülkehu (may the property be permanent)”, “azze nasrehu (may the help be holy)”.

The name of the mint place was firstly printed on the coins upon Orhan Gazi’s conquering Bursa. During reign of Murad I, the first Ottoman Sultan to step on European lands, in addition to akche, minting of copper coins called mangır was made. Mangır minted for local use and as sub-unit of akche is probably the most colourful materials of Ottoman coins with their diverse and rich decorative motives.

In the 14th century Ottoman was growing expeditiously upon successful attacks of Ottoman in Anatolia and Europe and upon join of other warriors from other beyliks (small local governments) At the end of the 14th century the borders were extended from the Fırat river to the Tuna river by help of attacks led by Murad I and Yıldırım Bayezid.

Considering himself as the heir of Ilhanlı State, Timur enslaved Yıldırım going forward to east, in Ankara War (1402 and returned all the lands that Ottoman had taken from other beyliks. When the remaining lands were shared between the sons of Bayezid, Ottoman Empire which had started to enlarge, was just led to chaos. This period which was called Fetret Period, was ended by Çelebi Mehmed. During this period it is seen that Emir Süleyman used names of Sultan and his father in Ottoman coins in an embodiment and tuğra (sultan’s monogram) which belongs to Ottoman for the first time.

Çelebi Sultan Mehmed and Murad II tried to bring the borders to the former place during their reigns Mehmet the Conqueror conquered Constantinopolis, the capital city of Byzantium Empire which was still a big empire then, upon long lasting and hard siege on May 29, 1453 and made the city the capital of the State and called in Konstantiniye.

 Mehmed the Conqueror announced transition from beylik to State by means of minting golden coins. So called Sultani, the coin was minted in Venice Dukedom scale and weight in order to avoid confusion in trading. During that Period, in addition to conquering in Anatolia, Ottoman also settled in Europe. Akche and mangır were only minted in Serez, Novar, Ayasluk, Edirne, Amasya, Bursa and Konya while golden coins were minted only in Istanbul. In addition to conquering Istanbul Mehmed the Conqueror also left the heritage of the feature of printing “Sultan of lands, hakan of seas, son of sultan of sultan” on coins together with tuğra.

Bayezid II was forced to cease invasion of Ottoman in Europe against imprisonment of Şehzade Cem sultan by Rhode Island Knights. It is seen that Bayezid II established another golden coin mint house in Serez in addition to Konstantiniye.

Yavuz Sultan Süleyman learnt that Turkmen nomads, getting bored of settled life and its rules of Ottoman, joined Safevis gaining political power in the region and defeated Shah Ismail in Çaldıran War (1514) in order to eliminate this danger. After that victory, Selim I used the title “Shah” in his coins. Süleyman I also used this title but after his reign this title was not used. Yavuz Sultan Selim ended Memluk Sultan State in Ridaniye War (1517) in order to eliminate the danger for Asian trade road occurred upon discovery of Africa Road by Portuguese sailors.

Mekke and Medine which are the holiest cities of Islam religion were included in Ottoman lands. Thus coins were minted in Egypt, Amid (Diyarbakır), Dimaşk (Damascus), Halep, Ruha(Urfa), mardin, Harput, Hisn Keyfa (Hasankyf) and Hicaz.

When Kanuni Sultan Süleyman ascended the throne in 1520, he took over the mission of being leader of Sunni against Şii values, and took control of Indian trade roads. Conquering Belgrade he had Budin in order to have a buffer zone between Ottoman and Habsburg Dynasty which had power in Europe. Safevis invaded Baghdad while Ottoman were in Europe. When Turkish Captain Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha donated his independent beylik in North Africa Ottoman Empire had its first lands in Africa. After those attacks, Ottoman had the mints in Algeria, Baghdad, Sebid, San and Belgrade.

 Kanuni’s period was the period when the people of the state were at their richest stage.Coins were published in more than forty mints. Ottoman showed its tolerance and flexibility not only in the government of the newly conquered lands but also in the minting of the coins and the coins minted in all regions had different embodiment and style unique to the minting region. In addition foreign coins were also used in Ottoman lands together with Ottoman coins. The thing that enabled Ottoman live in those wide lands for 600 years was that tolerance policy.

Upon successful discovery of Spanish and Portuguese sailors, the tons of golden and silver brought from America made European rich while as a result of inflation in Ottoman akche was devaluated in 1585-1640 and the mint houses were closed one after another. During reign of Murad IV a new coin called “para” which is lighter than akche was released. At that time coins were minted only in Konstantiniye.

In this case Süleyman II released “kuruş” from silver, in the same value as “grosso” in Europe. New mangır currency was also used. Golden para had been printed by machines exported from Europe since the end of Mehmed IV’s reign. Süleyman II started to print silver and copper coins by machines together with golden coins.

It is seen that Mustafa II started to use tuğra in silver and copper as well as golden coins.

In the 18th century Ahmed III’s peace policy is seen. Invasion policy was ended with Karlofça and Pasarofça Treaties. This period was called “Tulip Period” as a symbol of growing fine taste and cultural developments and this symbolic tulip motive with plant decoration was used on the coins of the period. Furthermore, Cedid Zer-I Istanbul equal to Venice golden was minted during that period.

Sultan Mustafa II added the throne ascending date and number indicating the year of the empire and thus the certain date of the coins was known.

Ottoman empire could not afford the costs of the wars involved in since the 18th century and started to lose lands upon defeating. Civil wars and conflicts never ended. Sultans were not able to control the treasury of the state due to palace intrigues, frequently encountered short reigns and overspending of the palace.

Europe went beyond middle age and made progress in any fields. Deciding to take Europe as sample, Ottoman was re-constructed with revolutionary policies of Selim III and mahmut II. The marks of those reformist movement are seen in coins frequently minted in different units and types by Mahmut II. Thus minting of akche which was the main currency in Ottoman since establishment of the state but lost its value in a way the value was only used in calculations was ended in 1818.

During reign of Abdülmecid new machines and masters were brought to mint house under the reform plan of “Tazminat-I Hayriyye”. With decisions about “Adjustment of the Scale” money system established on kuruş was specified and 100 kuruş = 1 lira was released.

Abdülhamid II released jewellery gold, which is still a tradition at the present. Islah-I Meskükat Commisison could not put their decisions in effect due to World war I. During the war Ottoman made borrowing from Germany and Austria and released money. After the war Ottoman was deemed defeated and the Treasury and its lands were share by the defeating countries. Nickel coins were printed for the first time during that period.

Specifying its policies for 600 years, Ottoman Empire changed its government system upon the reformist movement in the country after World War I and Turkish Republic was established. Istanbul mint house still continues minting coins based on lira currency