Coins struck at Tehran
19 catalogued coins and notes attributed to Tehran, with weights, legends, dates and Wikimedia-sourced images across Qajar Dynasty, Pahlavi Dynasty.
In short
Tehran has been the central mint of Iran since the Qajars made it the capital, striking hand-made gold tomans and silver krans before 1877 and every machine-struck Iranian coin since. Tehran is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 19 coins and notes struck between 19 CE – 1979 CE. Its output here covers Gold, Silver, Copper, Cupro-nickel in the Toman, Kran, Dinar and 2 more denominations, issued under Muzaffar al-Din Shah era, Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, Ahmad Shah Qajar and 4 more.
- Catalogued
- 19
- Eras
- 2
- Metals
- 4
- Denominations
- 5
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 19 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 19 CE – 1979 CE |
| Eras represented | Qajar Dynasty, Pahlavi Dynasty |
| Metals | Gold, Silver, Copper, Cupro-nickel |
| Denominations | Toman, Kran, Dinar, Pahlavi (coin), Rial |
| Issuers | Muzaffar al-Din Shah era, Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, Ahmad Shah Qajar, Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, Reza Shah Pahlavi, Mohammad Reza Shah |
| Active | Late 18th century – present |
| Machine presses installed | 1877 |
| Products | Gold tomans and Pahlavis, krans, rials, copper |
| Status | Sole Iranian mint since the late 19th century |
From provincial workshop to national mint
Tehran was a modest town before Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar made it his capital in 1786. Its mint grew with the city, producing hand-struck gold and silver alongside a dozen provincial workshops during the first Qajar century.
The decisive change came in 1877, when Naser al-Din Shah installed steam-powered presses bought in Brussels. Provincial mints were closed, and Tehran became the sole issuing workshop for the country — a centralisation that has held ever since through the Pahlavi and Islamic Republic periods.
What Tehran struck
Qajar gold tomans and their multiples, silver krans and 2- and 5-kran pieces, copper fulus; Pahlavi gold, silver rials and the cupro-nickel circulation series; and the entire Islamic Republic coinage from 1979 to the present.
Because the mint has operated continuously, Tehran is the single most represented mint in any Iranian collection, and the natural spine for a chronological set running from hand-struck Qajar silver to modern steel rials.
Qajar Dynasty · 1789 – 1925 CE
Era overview →Pahlavi Dynasty · 1925 – 1979 CE
Era overview →Frequently asked about Tehran
- When did Iran start machine-striking coins?
- In 1877, when Naser al-Din Shah installed steam-powered presses at the Tehran mint, replacing hand-struck production nationwide.
- Are all modern Iranian coins struck at Tehran?
- Yes. Since the late nineteenth century Tehran has been the country's only operating mint.
- What coins were struck at Tehran?
- Tehran is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 19 coins and notes struck between 19 CE – 1979 CE. Its output here covers Gold, Silver, Copper, Cupro-nickel in the Toman, Kran, Dinar and 2 more denominations, issued under Muzaffar al-Din Shah era, Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, Ahmad Shah Qajar and 4 more.
- How many Tehran pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 19 items, dated 19 CE – 1979 CE, spread across 2 eras: Qajar Dynasty, Pahlavi Dynasty.
- Which metals were used for Tehran coinage?
- Gold, Silver, Copper, Cupro-nickel. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Which denominations are associated with Tehran?
- Toman, Kran, Dinar, Pahlavi (coin), Rial. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.