From 23rd to 25th May, Stephen Album Rare Coins is going to offer a silver piaster issued somewhere between 1769 and 1771 under the reign of Ali Bey Al-Kabir. The coin is graded PCGS Genuine Very Fine Details and is the finest known example of its type.

The same coin was auctioned by Spink in June 2007 and was a part of the Ken Bovenkamp Collection back then. It is an important specimen for any Egypt collection. It has a few minute scratches on the obverse. Experts believe that the coin was produced crudely and hence could be graded as Extremely Fine. This time, it is being offered at an estimated value of $6,000 to $8,000.

Ali Bey Al-Kabir was a rebel Mamluk soldier who fought against the Ottoman rulers and brought independence to Egypt in 1768. He was born in Abkhazia, Georgia, but was later kidnapped and sold as a slave to Cairo in 1743. He joined the Mamluk army and gradually went on to become the chief of the country in 1760. He became more and more powerful in the next six years and finally revolted against the Ottoman rulers in 1768. His most trusted general, Abu al-Dhahab cheated him which led to his exile, then death outside Cairo after Egypt gained independence from its Ottoman rulers.

Image Courtesy: Stephen Album Rare Coins