Watch List notes:

TURKEY: Abdul Mejid, 1839-1861, AV medal (90.92g), Kostantiniye, AH1255 year 5, cf. Pere 1087, cf. Sultan 3237, cf. Eldem pg. 154, 50mm, Commemorating the Establishment of the New Imperial Mint at Constantinople; tughra of Abdul Mejid at center; rose branch to right; all within grain-ear wreath with crossed quivers at base // iste tashihi ayar sikkaye sarfi himmet kildi hani 'abd al-majid ("the amendment of setting coin to strike it the khan, Abdul Mejid") in Ottoman Turkish, all within floral wreath; above, regnal year on ornate tablet flanked by branches; below, Hejri date on ornate tablet flanked by branches, medal alignment, a few small reverse digs, very bold strike, plain edge, mount very expertly removed, EF, RRR. The example here corresponds to the equivalent of 1,250 piastres in gold. This 90g size medal is not published; only the 60g version appears to be published, but this medal is known in a variety of weights. A 60g example was sold in the Dr. Lawrence A. Adams Collection for $13,000 in Triton XIX, Lot 2797. Another example weighing about 84g was sold in Gorny & Mosch Giessener Münzhandlung Auction 188, Lot 5778 for €16,000. This is the heaviest specimen known to us. This medal was struck with the new forty horsepower steam coining machinery which was brought to Turkey from England under the superintendence of William Joseph Taylor for the striking of new coin types based on the Monetary Reform of 1844. The Monetary Reform introduced the gold lira which was valued at 100 qirsh. From 1844 to 1881 the lira was based on two systems: it was worth 6.61519 grams of pure gold or 99.8292 grams of pure silver.

Estimate: 14,000-16,000 USD