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1/4 Mithqal - Tahmasp I Safavi Qazwin - Fourth Gold Standard
| Issuer | Safavid Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1524-1576 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.15 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays a tightly arranged Arabic calligraphic legend in raised relief, similarly executed in a bold hammered style consistent with Safavid quarter-mithqal gold coinage. The field contains the mint name Qazwin (قزوین) and the AH date, with the numerals clearly rendered. The inscription crowds the full extent of the irregular flan, with letter strokes overlapping at the margins due to the small module of the quarter denomination. The overall execution reflects the characteristic informality of hand-struck Safavid fractional gold, with no frame, border, or ornamental devices. The reverse legend serves simultaneously as mint identification and dating record for the issue. |
| Reverse script | Arabic |
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| Additional information |
Tahmasp I ruled for over fifty years — the longest reign of any Safavid shah — yet his monetary administration was anything but static. The shift of the imperial capital from Tabriz to Qazwin in 1555, following relentless Ottoman pressure on the northwestern frontier, directly influenced mint output and coin typology during the latter half of his reign. The "Fourth Gold Standard" designation reflects a documented recalibration of the mithqal-based weight system, one of several adjustments Tahmasp made as war expenditure and Silk Road trade revenues fluctuated across his reign.
At 1.15 g, this quarter mithqal sits at the practical lower boundary of Safavid gold coinage intended for actual commercial use.