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1/2 Mithqal - Tahmasb I Safavi Sabzawar mint
| Issuer | Safavid Dynasty (Tahmasb I) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1551 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | KM#A2593 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic |
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| Reverse description | The reverse is entirely inscribed in Arabic, presented in a bold nasta'liq and angular script divided into two registers separated by a horizontal line across the flan. The upper register contains the Shahada and the declaration of Muhammad as the Messenger of God, while the lower register bears the Shi'a formula affirming Ali as the Friend of God (Wali Allah), a hallmark of Safavid coinage affirming the dynasty's Twelver Shi'a identity. The inscription fills the entire field, with letters extending to the rim on the irregular, slightly clipped flan. The calligraphic execution is vigorous, with characteristic interlocking strokes typical of mid-sixteenth-century Safavid die-cutting. |
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| Additional information |
Tahmasb I ruled for over fifty years — the longest reign of any Safavid shah — yet his gold coinage remains underrepresented in Western collections largely because European trade networks of the mid-sixteenth century drew heavily on Ottoman and Mughal issues instead. Sabzavar, a secondary mint in Khorasan, struck intermittently and in limited volume, making provincial gold from this reign genuinely scarce rather than artificially so.
By 1551, Tahmasb had already survived two Ottoman invasions and was conducting a strategic withdrawal policy — scorched earth, abandoned cities — that severely disrupted the eastern provincial economy Sabzavar served.