Der Münzschatz von Beçin

The cache found in 2000 in Beçin (today’s Milas in southwestern Turkey), which contained nearly 50,000 Islamic coins and more than 800 European coins, is not only the largest hoard that has ever been found in Turkey in regular archaeological excavation work, it is also the largest cache of Ottoman coins that has been found anywhere. The present volume presents the results of archaeological, historical, economic and numismatic analyses, which were undertaken by a collaborative Turkish-Austrian team. The large number of Ottoman coins has enabled a detailed understanding of Ottoman minting of the late 16th and early 17th century, an understanding that until now had been impossible. These coins’ value as a source has revolutionized research on the economic and administrative history of the Ottoman Empire. The volume will also set new trends for numismatic research on the minting of coins during this period.