Coins struck at Bank Markazi Iran
17 catalogued coins and notes attributed to Bank Markazi Iran, with weights, legends, dates and Wikimedia-sourced images across Pahlavi Dynasty, Islamic Republic.
In short
Bank Markazi Jomhuri Eslami Iran — the Central Bank of Iran, founded in 1960 — is the sole issuing authority for Iranian banknotes and the printer of every rial note since the 1979 revolution. Bank Markazi Iran is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 17 coins and notes struck between 1350 CE – 2535 CE. Its output here covers Paper money in the Rial, Pahlavi (coin), Toman denominations, issued under Mohammad Reza Shah, Transitional issue, Islamic Republic.
- Catalogued
- 17
- Eras
- 2
- Metals
- 1
- Denominations
- 3
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 17 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 1350 CE – 2535 CE |
| Eras represented | Pahlavi Dynasty, Islamic Republic |
| Metals | Paper money |
| Denominations | Rial, Pahlavi (coin), Toman |
| Issuers | Mohammad Reza Shah, Transitional issue, Islamic Republic |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Role | Sole banknote-issuing authority of Iran |
| Key transition | 1979 overprints obscuring the Pahlavi portrait |
| Dating method | Governor and finance-minister signature pairs |
From Bank Melli to Bank Markazi
Note issue passed from Bank Melli Iran to the newly created central bank in 1960, separating commercial banking from monetary authority for the first time. From that point every Iranian note carries the Bank Markazi imprint and the signatures of the governor and the finance minister — a signature pair that dates undated issues precisely.
The revolution of 1979 did not interrupt printing. Existing Pahlavi-portrait stock was overprinted with an arabesque obscuring the shah's face and reissued; new designs followed from 1981, replacing portraiture with architecture, calligraphy and revolutionary imagery.
Reading a Bank Markazi note
Four elements identify an issue: the denomination in Persian numerals, the signature pair, the security thread and watermark, and the serial prefix. Post-1979 notes use a watermark portrait of a religious or revolutionary figure rather than the Pahlavi lion-and-sun.
Inflation drives the series upward: 100, 200 and 500 rials give way to 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 rials, and finally to cheque-notes (iran cheque) in 500,000 and 1,000,000 rial values. Collecting a complete signature-variety run of a single denomination is the standard specialist project.
Pahlavi Dynasty · 1925 – 1979 CE
Era overview →Islamic Republic · 1979 – present
Era overview →Frequently asked about Bank Markazi Iran
- Who prints Iranian banknotes?
- Bank Markazi Jomhuri Eslami Iran, the central bank founded in 1960, through the state security printing works. It took over note issue from Bank Melli Iran.
- How do I date an Iranian banknote?
- Most modern rial notes are undated. Use the signature pair of the central-bank governor and finance minister, the design series and the serial prefix.
- What is an iran cheque?
- A high-value bearer instrument issued by Bank Markazi in 500,000 and 1,000,000 rial denominations, circulating in practice like a banknote.
- What coins were struck at Bank Markazi Iran?
- Bank Markazi Iran is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 17 coins and notes struck between 1350 CE – 2535 CE. Its output here covers Paper money in the Rial, Pahlavi (coin), Toman denominations, issued under Mohammad Reza Shah, Transitional issue, Islamic Republic.
- How many Bank Markazi Iran pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 17 items, dated 1350 CE – 2535 CE, spread across 2 eras: Pahlavi Dynasty, Islamic Republic.
- Which metals were used for Bank Markazi Iran coinage?
- Paper money. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Which denominations are associated with Bank Markazi Iran?
- Rial, Pahlavi (coin), Toman. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.