The Toman: a Persian numismatic guide
The toman, Iran's accounting unit in gold coin and Imperial Bank banknotes alike. 14 catalogued examples spanning Qajar Dynasty, Pahlavi Dynasty, Islamic Republic.
In short
The toman is Iran's traditional monetary unit — a Qajar gold coin and later the everyday accounting name for ten rials, still used in Iranian shops and price lists today. The Toman is a Persian and Iranian denomination represented by 14 catalogued examples dated 19 CE – 2021 CE. The toman, Iran's accounting unit in gold coin and Imperial Bank banknotes alike. Examples here are struck in Gold, Paper money at mints including Tabriz (also Tehran, Isfahan), Tehran, Imperial Bank of Persia (printed by Bradbury Wilkinson, London) and 5 more.
- Catalogued
- 14
- Eras
- 3
- Metals
- 2
- Denominations
- 2
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 14 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 19 CE – 2021 CE |
| Eras represented | Qajar Dynasty, Pahlavi Dynasty, Islamic Republic |
| Metals | Gold, Paper money |
| Denominations | Toman, Rial |
| Mints | Tabriz (also Tehran, Isfahan), Tehran, Imperial Bank of Persia (printed by Bradbury Wilkinson, London), Imperial Bank of Persia, Imperial Bank of Persia – Yazd branch, Tehran (machine-struck), Imperial Bank of Persia (London-printed, Bradbury Wilkinson), Bank Markazi Iran |
| Issuers | Fath-Ali Shah Qajar, Muzaffar al-Din Shah era, Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, Naser al-Din / late Qajar, Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar, Ahmad Shah Qajar era, Reza Shah Pahlavi |
Meaning and etymology
Toman (تومان) comes from the Mongol tümen, "ten thousand", a term the Ilkhanids used for both a military division of ten thousand men and a sum of ten thousand dinars. The accounting sense outlived the military one and passed into Persian as the standard large unit of value.
Since the currency reform of 1932 the official unit has been the rial, but one toman is universally understood to mean ten rials. Iranian prices are quoted in tomans even though banknotes are denominated in rials — the single most common source of confusion for visitors.
The gold toman of the Qajars
As a physical coin the toman is Qajar gold. Fath-Ali Shah's issues (1797–1834) introduced the seated royal portrait and the Lion-and-Sun reverse that would define Iranian coinage for a century. Naser al-Din Shah's long reign produced the bulk of surviving gold tomans, including 2-, 5- and 10-toman presentation pieces struck for diplomatic gifts.
Weights vary by reign and mint; a nineteenth-century 1-toman piece typically runs between 2.8 g and 3.5 g of high-fineness gold. Tehran, Isfahan, Tabriz and Mashhad are the mints most often encountered.
The paper toman
The Imperial Bank of Persia, granted a note-issuing concession in 1889, printed tomans redeemable at the branch named on the note — Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Mashhad, Yazd and others. Branch-specific redemption makes surviving notes collectable by city, and notes of the smaller branches are markedly scarcer.
Qajar Dynasty · 1789 – 1925 CE
Era overview →Pahlavi Dynasty · 1925 – 1979 CE
Era overview →Islamic Republic · 1979 – present
Era overview →Frequently asked about Toman
- What does toman mean?
- Toman comes from the Mongol tümen, meaning ten thousand. In Iran it is the traditional unit of account worth ten rials, and historically a gold coin of the Qajar period.
- How many rials are in one toman?
- Ten. Iranian banknotes are printed in rials, but prices are almost always quoted in tomans.
- Is the toman still used in Iran?
- Yes, in everyday speech and pricing, even though the rial remains the official currency unit.
- What is a Toman?
- The Toman is a Persian and Iranian denomination represented by 14 catalogued examples dated 19 CE – 2021 CE. The toman, Iran's accounting unit in gold coin and Imperial Bank banknotes alike. Examples here are struck in Gold, Paper money at mints including Tabriz (also Tehran, Isfahan), Tehran, Imperial Bank of Persia (printed by Bradbury Wilkinson, London) and 5 more.
- How many Toman pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 14 items, dated 19 CE – 2021 CE, spread across 3 eras: Qajar Dynasty, Pahlavi Dynasty, Islamic Republic.
- Which metals were used for Toman coinage?
- Gold, Paper money. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Where were Toman coins minted?
- Recorded mints include Tabriz (also Tehran, Isfahan), Tehran, Imperial Bank of Persia (printed by Bradbury Wilkinson, London), Imperial Bank of Persia, Imperial Bank of Persia – Yazd branch, Tehran (machine-struck).