What is the Naser al-Din Shah 1 Toman Banknote (specimen)?

The smallest denomination of the earliest Iranian banknote series. It was struck in c. 1890 at Imperial Bank of Persia under Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.

Persian Treasury

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Qajar Dynasty

Naser al-Din Shah 1 Toman Banknote (specimen)

The smallest denomination of the earliest Iranian banknote series.

Key specifications for Naser al-Din Shah 1 Toman Banknote (specimen)
Date	c. 1890
Ruler / issuer	Naser al-Din Shah Qajar
Mint	Imperial Bank of Persia
Metal	Paper
Era	Qajar Dynasty (1789 – 1925 CE)
Region	Iran

Obverse

Portrait of Naser al-Din Shah with Lion-and-Sun crest.

Reverse

Persian and English text; branch payment clause.

Historical context — Qajar Dynasty

Qajar coinage introduced the Lion-and-Sun emblem, mechanised minting (1877), and the country's first banknotes (1890, Imperial Bank of Persia). Denominations: toman (gold), qiran (silver), shahi (copper).

Read the full Qajar Dynasty essay →

Frequently asked

What is the Naser al-Din Shah 1 Toman Banknote (specimen)?: The smallest denomination of the earliest Iranian banknote series. It was struck in c. 1890 at Imperial Bank of Persia under Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.
What metal and weight is it?: Paper.
What designs appear on it?: Obverse: Portrait of Naser al-Din Shah with Lion-and-Sun crest. Reverse: Persian and English text; branch payment clause.

Naser al-Din Shah 10 Toman Banknote

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar

c. 1890–1923

Mid-range Imperial Bank note; a Tehran-payable 10 toman would not be accepted in Tabriz.

Naser al-Din Shah 25 Toman Banknote (specimen)

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar

c. 1890

High-denomination Imperial Bank note — equivalent to a modest annual salary at issue.

Naser al-Din Shah Gold Toman — Tehran

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar

1848–1896 CE

Standard one-toman gold piece from the Tehran mint after the 1877 mechanisation. Naser al-Din Shah's three European tours (1873, 1878, 1889) brought back the milling technology and bank-charter ideas that transformed Iranian money.

Naser al-Din Shah 10 Toman Gold

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar

Late 19th century

Heavy ceremonial gold piece — among the largest circulating Iranian gold coins of the 19th century. Rare in collectors' hands; struck primarily for royal gifts and bullion reserve.

Imperial Bank of Persia — One Toman (1906)

Muzaffar al-Din Shah era

1906

Iran's first true paper currency: the British-chartered Imperial Bank issued notes from 1890 with each branch (Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Bushehr, Yazd, Mashhad, Resht, Shiraz, Kermanshah) issuing non-fungible notes payable only at its own counter.