Timur's grandson, governor and later ruler at Samarqand, and the astronomer behind the Zij-i Sultani star catalogue and the Samarqand observatory.

Are Ulugh Beg coins rare?

Coins of his two-year sovereign reign are scarce; issues from his long governorship under Shahrukh are more readily found.

How many Ulugh Beg pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?

1 item, dated 850 CE – 1449 CE, spread across 1 era: Timurid & Safavid.

Which metals were used for Ulugh Beg coinage?

Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.

Persian Treasury

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Ruler

Coinage of Ulugh Beg

1 catalogued issue of Ulugh Beg — metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions with references.

In short

Ulugh Beg (r. 1447–1449 as sovereign, governor of Samarqand from 1409) was the astronomer-prince of the Timurid house, whose observatory produced a star catalogue unmatched in accuracy until Tycho Brahe. Ulugh Beg issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 850 CE – 1449 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at Herat.

Catalogued: 1
Eras: 1
Metals: 1
Denominations: 0

Key facts

Key facts about Ulugh Beg in the Persian Treasury catalogue
Catalogued pieces	1
Date range	850 CE – 1449 CE
Eras represented	Timurid & Safavid
Metals	Silver
Mints	Herat
Governor of Samarqand	From 1409
Sovereign reign	1447–1449
Achievement	Zij-i Sultani star catalogue
Death	Murdered, 1449

Science and sovereignty

As governor and then ruler at Samarqand, Ulugh Beg built the great sextant observatory and directed the Zij-i Sultani, a catalogue of over a thousand stars whose positional accuracy stood for nearly two centuries.

His administration standardised Transoxianan silver, and coins of his period are notably consistent in weight and legend layout — a numismatic reflection of a mind that valued measurement.

A short reign

He succeeded his father Shahrukh in 1447 and was murdered in 1449 at the instigation of his own son, ending both the reign and the observatory's working life.

Coins from the sovereign years are correspondingly scarce; most Ulugh Beg material on the market belongs to his long Samarqand governorship under Shahrukh.

Timurid & Safavid · 1370 – 1736 CE

Era overview →

Ulugh Beg Silver Tanka

Ulugh Beg

AH 850–853 / 1447–1449 CE

Ulugh Beg — astronomer-king and grandson of Timur — issued tankas continuing the high silver standard of his father Shah Rukh's shahrukhi.

Frequently asked about Ulugh Beg

Who was Ulugh Beg?: Timur's grandson, governor and later ruler at Samarqand, and the astronomer behind the Zij-i Sultani star catalogue and the Samarqand observatory.
Are Ulugh Beg coins rare?: Coins of his two-year sovereign reign are scarce; issues from his long governorship under Shahrukh are more readily found.
What coins did Ulugh Beg issue?: Ulugh Beg issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 850 CE – 1449 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at Herat.
How many Ulugh Beg pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?: 1 item, dated 850 CE – 1449 CE, spread across 1 era: Timurid & Safavid.
Which metals were used for Ulugh Beg coinage?: Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
Where were Ulugh Beg coins minted?: Recorded mints include Herat.

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Silver