Turkey, Ottoman Empire. A Converted 5 Kurush Coin 1834

In silver, obverse illustrating the Tughra of Mahmud II, reverse dated with the start date of his reign in Eastern Arabic "1223" (1808) and numbered "26" (the twenty-sixth year of his reign and date of the minting of the coin, 1834), measuring 39.2 mm in diameter, hole drilled at the top with a ring suspension added, exhibiting pitting, bruised, edge nicks, moderate surface wear, very fine.

Footnote:

1. Mahmud II (July 20, 1785 - July 1, 1839; AH1223-1255) was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. His reign is recognized for the extensive administrative, military, and fiscal reforms he instituted, which culminated in the Decree of Tanzimat ("reorganization") that was carried out by his sons Abdulmejid I and Abdülaziz. Often described as "Peter the Great of Turkey", Mahmud's reforms included the 1826 abolition of the conservative Janissary corps, which removed a major obstacle to his and his successors' reforms in the Empire. The reforms he instituted were characterized by political and social changes, which would eventually lead to the birth of the modern Turkish Republic. Mahmud II is the last sultan who used his political (non-judgmental) execution authority. Notwithstanding his domestic reforms, Mahmud's reign was also marked by nationalist uprisings in Ottoman-ruled Serbia and Greece, leading to significant loss of territory for the Empire following the emergence of an independent Greek state. In the general structure of the Ottoman Empire, Mahmud's reign was characterized by showing major interest in Westernization; institutions, palace order, daily life, clothing, music and many other areas saw radical reform as the Ottoman Empire opened up to modernization.

2. While there are many possible causes for a coin being holed, the answer for the vast majority of holed Ottoman coins lies in the traditions of one of the most beautiful, sacred and joyous aspects of Ottoman culture: marriage. In the Ottoman Empire, few occasions were as joyous or heavily celebrated as a marriage. The only possible competitors would be the birth of a child or the circumcision of a son. Ottoman marriage customs and ceremonies were quite unique, as are many Ottoman cultural aspects, as they were a blend of the many cultures that composed the Ottoman Empire, those that preceded it such as the Byzantine Empire and some unique innovations put into place by the Ottomans themselves. It was a long standing tradition for the bride to wear jewelry and other ornamentation made up of actual circulating coinage. This is where many Ottoman coins gained their holes, from being pierced by jewellers and relatives of brides, using the money given by family and friends to the couple to make the ornaments that the bride would wear on her wedding day.