Not sure what to make of this one. I'm pretty sure it's a 5 Para of Abdülmecid I. (Numista example link) But there's some sort of flower or sun shaped countermark on both sides, which almost completely wipes out the Arabic 5 for the denomination on the reverse. 22 mm, 2.28 g, copper Obverse is a tughra with regnal year 19 (1857) Reverse has 1255 (AH), the starting year for Abdülmecid I. Has anyone seen a counterstamp like this one before? Thanks!
Around that time there were dozens of countermarks on those Ottoman issues. I have a few that were purported to be from the Wilski collection. There is one website I know of with many of them listed.
Thanks! I haven't found an exact mach after a cursory search, but that gives me a general idea. It appears they were validation for local circulation rather than a redenomination, for example. There were a lot or small, circular countermarks, but most had letters on them, and mine looks more like a flower pattern. Thanks for looking up the link.
I have some that are crude symbols. Most of the countermarks I have are on the larger denomination 40 Para issues. Turkey Pigi Lesbos Turkey Gialos Syme
