Beware of Ottoman coins marketed online, expert warns
ANTALYA
Historical Ottoman coins have been put up for sale in at least 17,000 online advertisement posts.
Prospective buyers should consult with an expert before making any payments, said Neşet Gündüz, the head of the Consumers’ Association in Antalya.
“Not every object from the Ottoman era necessarily has a historical value,” he said.
“Sale of a historical artifact should be conducted with permission from the local museum directorate. Otherwise, the police could intervene,” he added.
A coin with a round hole, which is said to be dating back to the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V Reşâd (1909-1918), has been put up on sale on a shopping internet site for 50 million Turkish Liras ($3.4 million).
Another one that has a sign of Abdülhamid II, who was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from Aug. 31, 1876, to April 27, 1909, has a price tag of 42 million liras ($2.8 million).
Every object of cultural or natural heritage has to be registered by a local museum directorate. If it is deemed unsuitable to be exhibited at a museum, it would be returned to its holder. When the holder of a historical object intends to sell it, the local museum directorate should be notified in advance. Carrying these objects overseas is strictly banned.
