GIRAY KHANS: Shahin Giray, 1777-1783, LOT of 10 billon kara-beshlyks ("black five paras"), dated AH1191, including regnal years 2, 3, and 4, assigned by the consignor to Retowski numbers 68-70, 52var, 19var, 52, 42, 93, 89, 65, 42, and 101, mostly F-VF condition with normal weakness or flatness, most above average, retail value $600, lot of 10 pieces, ex Dick Nauta Collection.

The Giray Khans were the rulers of the Crimean Khanate from 1441 to 1783.  The Khanate was also known by following names; Qırım Hanlığı, Qırım Yurtu, Great Horde, Desht-i Kipchak, and in old European historiography and geography as Little Tartary or Tartaria Minor. This Crimean Tatar state was the longest-lived of the Turkic khanates that succeeded the empire of the Golden Horde. Established by Hacı I Giray in 1441, it was regarded as the direct heir to the Golden Horde and to Desht-i-Kipchak. The Giray Khanate was annexed by Catherine the Great of Russia. On 8 April 1783, in violation of the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca, Catherine II intervened in the civil war, de facto annexing the whole Crimean Peninsula as the Taurida Governorate.

Estimate: 300-400 USD