Abstract:

We try to make an evaluation of Ottoman monetary and mining history according to an icmâl book pertaining to period between the years 1788-1825. Some information is provided regarding the amount of silver coming from mines to the Mint, specie coinage and the revenue obtained through money coinage with gold purchased from the market in this book. Original results are obtained when this information is transformed into tables and graphics and supported by archival documents and literature. First of these results is that silver production in Ottoman mines experienced a dramatic decrease in that period and the second is that revenue obtained from gold specie coinage was very influential in overcoming the financial crisis in that period. Information in the literature regarding the amount of production in Ottoman mines is insufficient and is far from making up a regular statistical series. Besides, we emphasize the fact that the financial crisis in that period is overcome by the degradation of silver species. The information in the book makes up a regular series of thirty-six years regarding the silver production in Ottoman mines; and reveals that adjustments on gold species was very influential in overcoming financial crisis even if not influential as those on silver species.

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