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1 Qiran - Nasir al-Din Shah Astarabad mint
| Issuer | Iran |
|---|---|
| Year | 1857-1875 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | The obverse features a densely inscribed field entirely occupied by a multi-line Persian-Arabic calligraphic legend in the Nasta'liq script, reading the royal titulature of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar. The inscription, meaning 'Sultan son of Sultan, Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar,' is arranged in sweeping, interlocking lines that fill the flan from rim to rim. The field is unadorned beyond the calligraphy itself, with no portrait or central device, in keeping with Qajar numismatic tradition. The entire design is enclosed within a prominent inner border of raised pellets (beaded border), characteristic of Iranian coinage of this period. The strike is typical of hand-produced hammered coinage, resulting in a slightly irregular flan. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Qiran was established as Iran's primary silver unit under Nasir al-Din Shah following his monetary reforms of the early 1850s, which attempted to rationalize a coinage system badly degraded by decades of inconsistent provincial striking. Astarabad — now Gorgan — operated as a regional mint serving the northeastern frontier, and its output was never large. Issues from this facility are considerably scarcer than those of Tehran or Tabriz.
Nasir al-Din's long reign saw repeated debasement pressure as state finances deteriorated, and Qirans from the later years of this date range frequently show reduced fineness in practice despite nominal standards.