Mint

Coins struck at Kerman

1 catalogued coin and note attributed to Kerman, with weights, legends, dates and Wikimedia-sourced images across Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic.

In short

Kerman, the caravan city on the south-eastern edge of the plateau, struck coinage under Seljuq, Qutlughkhanid, Safavid and Qajar authority — a mint whose output tracks the fortunes of the desert trade routes. Kerman is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 1296 CE – 1304 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Dirham denominations, issued under Citing Ghazan Khan as overlord.

Catalogued
1
Eras
1
Metals
1
Denominations
1

Key facts

Key facts about Kerman in the Persian Treasury catalogue
Catalogued pieces1
Date range1296 CE – 1304 CE
Eras representedArab-Sasanian & Early Islamic
MetalsSilver
DenominationsDirham
IssuersCiting Ghazan Khan as overlord
RegionSouth-eastern Iran
Notable dynastyQutlughkhanid, 13th century
Overlords namedGreat Khan, then Ilkhan
Later issuesSafavid abbasi, Qajar kran

The Qutlughkhanids

The Qara Khitai dynasty of Kerman, the Qutlughkhanids, ruled the province under Mongol suzerainty in the thirteenth century, including two reigning queens — a rarity in Islamic numismatics, where a woman's name in a mint legend is exceptional.

Their coinage names the Great Khan or Ilkhan as overlord, a nested sovereignty typical of the period and essential to correct attribution.

Later Kerman coinage

Safavid abbasis and Qajar krans from Kerman are more common and generally better struck. Nineteenth-century issues coincide with the province's carpet and shawl trade, and the mint stayed active until the centralisation of striking at Tehran.

Kerman marks are a useful specialist target: the city is well known, its coins are affordable, and its mint history spans both the Mongol and modern periods.

Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic · 651 – 1258 CE

Era overview →

Frequently asked about Kerman

Who were the Qutlughkhanids?
A Qara Khitai dynasty ruling Kerman under Mongol suzerainty in the thirteenth century, notable for including two reigning queens whose names appear on coinage.
When did Kerman stop minting?
Provincial striking wound down in the later Qajar period as machine-struck coinage was centralised at the Tehran mint.
What coins were struck at Kerman?
Kerman is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 1296 CE – 1304 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Dirham denominations, issued under Citing Ghazan Khan as overlord.
How many Kerman pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
1 item, dated 1296 CE – 1304 CE, spread across 1 era: Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic.
Which metals were used for Kerman coinage?
Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
Which denominations are associated with Kerman?
Dirham. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.