asia and middle-east - Coin Auctions

Lot 1963 - world coins asia and middle-east - Stephen Album Rare Coins Numismatic Auction #18

TUNISIA: Ahmad II b. Ali, 1929-1942, Nichan Iftikhar order, Order of Glory (Nichan Iftikhar), Fourth Class (Officer) medal, ten-pointed silver star, alternate faceted arms enamelled red and green with graduated chiselled rays between the arms, the face with a circular central green enamel medallion bearing the name ali in silver Arabic characters within a faceted silver border; the reverse with illegible stamp, with original ribbon with rosette denoting an award of the officer class, suspension loop, rosette and ring, EF.
This order was instituted in 1835 by Ahmad I ibn Mustafa, Bey of Tunis and reformed in 1857 by his successor Muhammad II ibn al-Husayn. It was effectively the National Order of Tunis from its foundation until its suppression after independence in 1957. The order essentially existed in two different models: the first awarded from its creation in 1835 and the second following 1859. Initially awarded in a single class, the order was reorganized and awarded in five classes following 1843 and expanded to six classes in 1882. This order could be awarded to people of French nationality, cities (such as Verdun), and other notable foreigners with some connection to Tunisia. It was given by the bey of Tunis on a proposal from the chief vizier for Tunisian subjects and, in all the other cases, on a proposal from the resident general of France (which occupied the de facto post of Foreign Minister of Tunisia at that time). Each bey put his monogram on the center of the decoration thus it is possible to determine the approximate award date of each order.

Stephen Album Rare Coins Numismatic Auction #18