Gold coinage of Persia and Iran
Gold issues — darics, dinars, ashrafis and pahlavis — the high-value backbone of Iranian coinage. 26 catalogued examples spanning Pre-Achaemenid & Median, Achaemenid Empire, Sasanian Empire.
In short
Persian gold coinage runs from the Achaemenid daric of about 8.4 g of near-pure gold to the 8.136 g Pahlavi of the twentieth century — high-value money struck for tribute, trade, gift and reserve rather than for daily marketplace use. Gold accounts for 26 of the catalogued Persian and Iranian pieces, spanning 546 BCE – 1979 CE. Gold issues — darics, dinars, ashrafis and pahlavis — the high-value backbone of Iranian coinage. Denominations struck in this material include Stater, Daric, Dinar, Abbasi and 2 more.
- Catalogued
- 26
- Eras
- 8
- Metals
- 1
- Denominations
- 6
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 26 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 546 BCE – 1979 CE |
| Eras represented | Pre-Achaemenid & Median, Achaemenid Empire, Sasanian Empire, Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic, Timurid & Safavid, Afsharid & Zand, Qajar Dynasty, Pahlavi Dynasty |
| Metals | Gold |
| Denominations | Stater, Daric, Dinar, Abbasi, Toman, Pahlavi (coin) |
| Mints | Sardis, Sardis (primary), Sind, Damascus, Nishapur, Ghazna, Isfahan, Nishapur, Baghdad |
| Issuers | King Croesus (Kroisos), Darius I to Darius III, Darius III / Alexander era, Bahram V (Bahram Gur), Shapur I, Shapur III, Abd al-Malik (post-reform), Abd al-Malik I (Samanid) |
| Earliest Persian gold | Daric, c. 515 BCE, ~8.4 g |
| Islamic standard | Dinar, ~4.25 g after 696–697 CE |
| Modern standard | Pahlavi, 8.136 g at 0.900 (7.32 g fine) |
| Typical fineness | 95–98% (ancient), 90% (modern) |
The great Persian gold coins
Four types define the field. The daric (c. 515–330 BCE) is the archer coin of the Achaemenids, about 8.4 g at 95–98% fineness. The Sasanian dinar copies the drachm design in gold and is genuinely rare. The Islamic dinar, standardised near 4.25 g after the reform of 696–697 CE, becomes the gold of medieval Iran through Abbasid, Samanid, Seljuq and Ilkhanid issues. The Qajar toman and the Pahlavi close the sequence with milled, machine-struck gold.
Ashrafis of the Safavids and mohurs of Nader Shah sit between the medieval and modern groups: struck largely for ceremony, gifts and campaign payment, and therefore surviving in better grade than their circulation-worn silver contemporaries.
Weights, fineness and intrinsic value
Fine gold content is the first thing to establish on any purchase. A daric carries roughly 8.0–8.2 g of pure gold; an Islamic dinar about 4.2 g; a Qajar 1-toman piece typically 2.8–3.5 g gross at high fineness; a gold Pahlavi exactly 7.32 g fine (8.136 g at 0.900), the same as a British sovereign.
Modern Pahlavi gold trades close to bullion with a modest numismatic premium, so its price moves with the gold market. Ancient and medieval gold does not: it is priced on rarity, type and condition, and a daric will never fall to bullion value.
Authentication
Gold does not corrode, which removes the patina evidence collectors rely on elsewhere and makes weight, dimension and die study the primary tests. Cast fakes betray themselves through slightly low weight, soft lettering, rounded relief and occasional surface porosity.
For any ancient or medieval gold at market prices, insist on third-party certification or a specialist dealer's guarantee. For modern Pahlavi gold, weight and diameter plus a magnet-and-density check catch nearly all counterfeits.
Pre-Achaemenid & Median · c. 1000 – 550 BCE
Era overview →Achaemenid Empire · 550 – 330 BCE
Era overview →Sasanian Empire · 224 – 651 CE
Era overview →Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic · 651 – 1258 CE
Era overview →Timurid & Safavid · 1370 – 1736 CE
Era overview →Afsharid & Zand · 1736 – 1796 CE
Era overview →Qajar Dynasty · 1789 – 1925 CE
Era overview →Pahlavi Dynasty · 1925 – 1979 CE
Era overview →Frequently asked about Gold
- What is the oldest Persian gold coin?
- The Achaemenid daric, introduced by Darius I around 515 BCE at roughly 8.4 g of 95–98% pure gold, showing the Great King as a kneeling archer.
- How much gold is in a Pahlavi coin?
- A full gold Pahlavi weighs 8.136 g at 0.900 fineness, giving 7.32 g of pure gold — identical in fine weight to a British sovereign.
- Are Persian gold coins a good investment?
- Modern Pahlavi gold tracks bullion with a small premium. Ancient and medieval gold is priced on rarity and condition and behaves as a collectable, not as bullion.
- What is a Gold?
- Gold accounts for 26 of the catalogued Persian and Iranian pieces, spanning 546 BCE – 1979 CE. Gold issues — darics, dinars, ashrafis and pahlavis — the high-value backbone of Iranian coinage. Denominations struck in this material include Stater, Daric, Dinar, Abbasi and 2 more.
- How many Gold pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 26 items, dated 546 BCE – 1979 CE, spread across 8 eras: Pre-Achaemenid & Median, Achaemenid Empire, Sasanian Empire, Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic, Timurid & Safavid, Afsharid & Zand.
- Which metals were used for Gold coinage?
- Gold. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Which denominations are associated with Gold?
- Stater, Daric, Dinar, Abbasi, Toman, Pahlavi (coin). Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.
- Where were Gold coins minted?
- Recorded mints include Sardis, Sardis (primary), Sind, Damascus, Nishapur, Ghazna.