Baldwin & Sons
Islamic Coin Auction 25 10 December 2013
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† ISLAMIC COINS. MAHDI OF THE SUDAN. Anonymous, temp. al-Mahdi (1298-1317h), Gold "Guinea", "Misr" 1255h, ry 2, 7.14g, the normal weight of an Egyptian Guinea is 8.50g (KM 3). Scuffed surfaces and lightly polished, otherwise about extremely fine.
It is recorded that when the Mahdi seized power in the Sudan he used an Egyptian Guinea bearing the tughra of the Ottoman Sultan 'Abd al-Majid as a pattern for his gold coinage. It is clear that this coin is a reasonable copy, but that it would only fool those who had to accept it in Umdurman (Khartoum), the Mahdi's capital. The weight of this coin matches that of the Ottoman Lira (7.2g) rather than that of the Egyptian Guinea (8.50g). It is said that fiscal difficulties caused the Mahdi to withdraw his initial good coinage from circulation before his death.
Estimate: £5000-6000
It is recorded that when the Mahdi seized power in the Sudan he used an Egyptian Guinea bearing the tughra of the Ottoman Sultan 'Abd al-Majid as a pattern for his gold coinage. It is clear that this coin is a reasonable copy, but that it would only fool those who had to accept it in Umdurman (Khartoum), the Mahdi's capital. The weight of this coin matches that of the Ottoman Lira (7.2g) rather than that of the Egyptian Guinea (8.50g). It is said that fiscal difficulties caused the Mahdi to withdraw his initial good coinage from circulation before his death.
Estimate: £5000-6000