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6 Shahi - Ismail I Safavi
| Issuer | Safavid Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1507 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | A#T2575 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic (thuluth) |
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays an elaborate Shi'a declaration of faith rendered in bold thuluth calligraphy, organized within a large lobed central cartouche framed by interlacing arabesques and subsidiary cartouches. The central field bears the Shahada followed by the affirmation of Ali as the wali of God, with the names of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'ism arranged in sequence around and within the cartouche. The surrounding marginal band contains additional inscriptions naming the Imams, reflecting the distinctly Shi'a character of Safavid coinage under Ismail I. The overall composition is highly ornate, with the calligraphic elements interwoven with decorative foliate borders in a format characteristic of large-denomination Safavid presentation pieces. |
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| Additional information |
Ismail I consolidated Safavid power with remarkable speed after taking Tabriz in 1501, and the monetary system he imposed was as much a political instrument as an economic one. Declaring Twelver Shia Islam the state religion, he used coinage to broadcast that break from Sunni Ottoman and Uzbek neighbors — a calculated provocation that helped trigger the Ottoman-Safavid wars culminating at Chaldiran in 1514. The 6 shahi denomination, a heavy multiple unit, reflects the early Safavid preference for large silver pieces suited to wholesale trade across the Persian plateau.