Global Money Week – “From Barter to Banknotes” - Gold trust standard This coin, struck under Sultan Abdülmecid I (AD 1839–1861) in Constantinople (Qustantiniya), represents the gold ¼ Memduhiye altın, part of the Ottoman Empire’s 19th-century monetary system. Gold coins of this type were widely used in commerce and as a store of value. Due to their intrinsic gold content, they were also frequently used in jewellery and in informal exchange or barter, reflecting the continued importance of precious-metal coinage in everyday economic life. OTTOMAN EMPIRE. Abdülmecid I (AH 1255-1277 / 1839-1861 AD). GOLD 1/4 Memduhiye Altin. Qustantiniya (Constantinople). Dated AH 1255//2 (AD 1840). Obv: Toughra; branch to right. Rev: Legend, with mint, AH date and RY date. KM 657. Weight: 0.40 g. Gold. Perforated as usual. ----- This lot is part of the thematic auction “From Barter to Banknotes”, organised in celebration of Global Money Week (16–22 March). Global Money Week is an international initiative coordinated by the OECD that promotes financial education and helps young people better understand money, savings, and economic systems. Through this curated selection of objects - from early trade items and proto-currencies to historic coins and modern banknotes - we explore the fascinating evolution of money and the many forms it has taken across cultures and centuries.