Catalog
1000 Rials - Mohammad Rezā Pahlavī
| Issuer | Bank Melli Iran (National Bank of Iran) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1944 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Harrison and Sons, London |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Right-center vignette of a young Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in military uniform, set within an ornate guilloche border. To the upper-left, a mythological winged lion (Homa bird) vignette appears above a central arabesque medallion bearing the denomination inscription in Persian script. The four corners carry the numeral '1000' in a floral underprint, with the bank title in large Nastaliq script across the upper field and two identical serial numbers printed in red. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central intaglio-engraved panoramic landscape vignette of a winding river valley with mountains in the background, rendered in fine line engraving against a plain ground. The bank title in Nastaliq script is placed at the top center, above the landscape. The border consists of an intricate guilloche frame with denomination panels at each corner and a decorative floral frieze along the lower margin. |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
Bank Melli Iran issued this series during the joint Anglo-Soviet occupation of Iran, which had begun in August 1941 following the forced abdication of Reza Shah. The new high denomination was partly a response to wartime inflationary pressure — Allied military expenditure in-country was eroding purchasing power faster than the existing note supply could manage. Harrison and Sons had been printing Iranian notes since the 1930s, and the wartime relationship continued despite the logistical complications of supplying a country under occupation.
The young Mohammad Reza had been on the throne less than three years when this note entered circulation. His authority was, at this point, substantially constrained by the Allied presence.