The Kran: a Persian numismatic guide
Qajar silver kran, the machine-struck workhorse of nineteenth-century Iran. 2 catalogued examples spanning Qajar Dynasty.
In short
The kran (qiran) is the Qajar silver coin of about 4.6 g, worth one-tenth of a toman — hand-struck until 1877 and machine-struck at Tehran thereafter, making it the everyday money of nineteenth-century Iran. The Kran is a Persian and Iranian denomination represented by 2 catalogued examples dated 1848 CE – 1896 CE. Qajar silver kran, the machine-struck workhorse of nineteenth-century Iran. Examples here are struck in Silver at mints including Tehran, Herat.
- Catalogued
- 2
- Eras
- 1
- Metals
- 1
- Denominations
- 1
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 2 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 1848 CE – 1896 CE |
| Eras represented | Qajar Dynasty |
| Metals | Silver |
| Denominations | Kran |
| Mints | Tehran, Herat |
| Issuers | Naser al-Din Shah Qajar |
| Weight | ~4.6 g silver |
| Value | 1/10 toman |
| Machine striking | Tehran, from 1877 |
| Reverse | Lion and Sun in wreath |
The workhorse of Qajar Iran
Introduced under Fath-Ali Shah and standardised through the century, the kran carried the Lion and Sun within a wreath on the reverse and the shah's name or, later, his portrait on the obverse. Multiples of 2 and 5 krans were struck alongside it.
The 1877 installation of steam presses at Tehran transforms the coin: round flans, milled edges, consistent weight and European-style engraving replace irregular hand-struck pieces almost overnight. The two technologies are easy to tell apart at a glance and are the fastest way to date an undated example roughly.
Collecting the series
Machine-struck krans of Naser al-Din Shah and Mozaffar al-Din Shah are common and inexpensive. Earlier hand-struck issues, provincial mints such as Herat, Mashhad, Tabriz and Isfahan, and any coin with full portrait detail carry premiums.
Cleaned surfaces are the most frequent problem. Prefer coins with intact grey or gold toning; a bright, hairlined kran typically sells at a marked discount to an original one.
Qajar Dynasty · 1789 – 1925 CE
Era overview →Frequently asked about Kran
- What is a kran?
- The Qajar silver coin of about 4.6 g worth one-tenth of a toman, the main circulating money of Iran in the nineteenth century.
- How do you tell a hand-struck kran from a machine-struck one?
- Hand-struck coins have irregular flans, off-centre legends and plain edges; machine-struck coins from 1877 onwards are perfectly round with milled edges and even relief.
- What is a Kran?
- The Kran is a Persian and Iranian denomination represented by 2 catalogued examples dated 1848 CE – 1896 CE. Qajar silver kran, the machine-struck workhorse of nineteenth-century Iran. Examples here are struck in Silver at mints including Tehran, Herat.
- How many Kran pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 2 items, dated 1848 CE – 1896 CE, spread across 1 era: Qajar Dynasty.
- Which metals were used for Kran coinage?
- Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Where were Kran coins minted?
- Recorded mints include Tehran, Herat.