Persian Treasury
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Coinage of Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid)

1 catalogued issue of Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid) — metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions with references.

In short

Arghun Khan (1284–1291) ruled the Ilkhanate before its conversion to Islam, sought a military alliance with the Christian powers of Europe against the Mamluks, and presided over a disastrous experiment with paper money. Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid) issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 684 CE – 1286 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Gold at Baghdad.

Catalogued
1
Eras
1
Metals
1
Denominations
1

Key facts

Key facts about Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid) in the Persian Treasury catalogue
Catalogued pieces1
Date range684 CE – 1286 CE
Eras representedArab-Sasanian & Early Islamic
MetalsGold
DenominationsDinar
MintsBaghdad
Reign1284–1291
DiplomacyEmbassies to the pope, France and England
Paper moneyChao, introduced 1294, failed immediately
Coin legendsArabic with Uighur-Mongol script

Diplomacy and failure

Arghun sent embassies to the pope and to the kings of France and England proposing a joint campaign against the Mamluks. Nothing came of it, but the surviving letters are remarkable documents of thirteenth-century global diplomacy.

His administration introduced chao — paper money copied from Yuan China — in 1294 under his successor Gaykhatu. The Iranian market refused it outright and the experiment collapsed within months, wrecking trade in Tabriz.

Coinage

Pre-reform Ilkhanid silver under Arghun is variable in standard between mints, with Arabic and Uighur-Mongol legends and a religiously neutral formulary reflecting the court's Buddhist and shamanist leanings before 1295.

That neutrality makes the coinage visibly different from both the Islamic issues that follow and the Islamic issues that preceded Mongol rule.

Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic · 651 – 1258 CE

Era overview →

Ilkhanid Gold Dinar of Arghun

Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid)

AH 684 / 1285–1286 CE

Bilingual Arabic-Uighur issue from the Mongol Ilkhanate of Iran, before Ghazan's conversion to Islam.

Frequently asked about Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid)

Did Iran use paper money in the Middle Ages?
Briefly. The Ilkhanate introduced Chinese-style chao notes in 1294; merchants refused them and the scheme collapsed within months.
Were the early Ilkhans Muslim?
No. Before Ghazan's conversion in 1295 the court was Buddhist and shamanist, and coin legends of Arghun's reign are religiously neutral by comparison.
What coins did Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid) issue?
Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid) issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 684 CE – 1286 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Gold at Baghdad.
How many Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid) pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
1 item, dated 684 CE – 1286 CE, spread across 1 era: Arab-Sasanian & Early Islamic.
Which metals were used for Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid) coinage?
Gold. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
Which denominations are associated with Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid)?
Dinar. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.
Where were Arghun Khan (Ilkhanid) coins minted?
Recorded mints include Baghdad.

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Denominations here

Metals here