What is Double Mecidi

The minted gold coins were called Mecidiye. There were 500 kurus (five hundred/five-piece) that weighed 11 dirhams and was 4 carats, 100 kurus (hundreds) that weighed 2 dirhams and was 4 carats, and 250 kurus (coined in the ninth year of Culûs) that weighed 5 dirhams and was 10 carats. In addition, 50 (half) and 25 (quarter) gold Mecidis were coined. New silver coins were minted in the sixth year of the Culûs: 1 silver Mecidi (20 kurus) that weighed 7 dirhams and was 8 carats, 1/2 Mecidiye (10 kurus) that weighed 3 dirhams and was 12 carats, 1/4 mecidiye (5 kurus) that weighed 1 dirham and was 14 carats. Specifically for these silver coins, the name Mecidi became well known, and later such coins were also called Mecidi. Among the people, 10 kurus were called a half and 5 kurus were called a quarter. Smaller units were double (12 carats), kurus (6 carats) and 20 paras (3 carats). Silver Mecidis were known as “white mecidi” or “silvery mecidiye” among the people.

Counterfeiting Money and Anti-Counterfeit Measures: The Historical Case of the Ottoman Empire

Busra Karataser (Tekırdag Namık Kemal, Turkey)