My collection returns to the output of the Heaton Mint, but this time we are looking at a coin born during the chaos of the First World War.

This 10 Milliemes piece from Egypt is a fascinating mix of cultures: British industrial manufacture, Arabic calligraphy, and a design necessitated by a global conflict.

The Historical Context: The Sultanate

In 1917, Egypt was a British Protectorate. The British had severed Egypt’s ties with the Ottoman Empire in 1914 and installed a pro-British monarch, Sultan Hussein Kamel, whose name appears in beautiful Arabic calligraphy on the reverse of this coin.

Because of the war, silver was being hoarded. To keep commerce moving, the state issued these copper-nickel “holed” coins. The hole allowed people to easily distinguish them from silver coins in a pocket or purse, and also allowed them to be strung together for safe-keeping.

The Coin: 1917 (AH 1335) 10 Milliemes

  • Denomination: 10 Milliemes (1 Piastre)
  • Sultan: Hussein Kamel
  • Year: 1917 (Gregorian) / 1335 (Hijri)
  • Mint: Attributed to Ralph Heaton & Sons (Birmingham)
  • Metal: Copper-Nickel
  • Reference: KM 316

The Heaton “Ghost”:
Like the Sarawak penny I posted earlier, this coin is an “unmarked” Heaton issue. While some 1917 issues bear a distinct “H” mintmark below the date, others produced in Birmingham left the mint without it. In the frantic production schedules of 1917—with zeppelins flying over London and U-boats in the Atlantic—mintmarks were sometimes a secondary concern to getting the money out the door.

Condition & Grading

The holed design often protects the center of the coin, but the rims take the brunt of the wear.

The Assessment:

  • Obverse (English): The “10” and the date “1917” are bold. The rim shows some minor knocks, which is standard for a heavy coin that saw circulation.
  • Reverse (Arabic): The calligraphy is the highlight here. It reads As-Sultan Hussein Kamel. The script is sharp and legible, not worn down to a blur.
  • Surface: There is some surface residue (verdigris) and darkening around the lettering, particularly on the “Milliemes” text. This “grime of history” is common on copper-nickel that has spent time in the humid climate of the Nile Delta.

Grade: Very Fine (VF)
The structural integrity of the coin is excellent, and the calligraphy—the most important artistic element—remains crisp.

The Verdict

This coin represents a very specific moment in time: the brief Sultanate of Egypt (1914–1922). It is a coin that likely bought bread or tea in Cairo while British troops were stationed nearby during the Great War. For a collector of Heaton Mint history, it is a reminder that Birmingham was minting the currency for a vast portion of the globe.

Further Reading & Data: