Larin - Isma'il I Safavi

The larin — a bent wire or rod of silver folded on itself and stamped — originated in the Persian Gulf trade zone and was adopted by the Safavids as a practical instrument for commerce rather than prestige coinage. Isma'il I, who consolidated Safavid rule after defeating the Aq Qoyunlu at the Battle of Sharur in 1501, used such issues to establish monetary credibility across a newly unified Iranian polity. The form circulated widely into the Indian Ocean network, appearing in Portuguese trade records from Hormuz and later copied by local mints as far as Ceylon.