Iran AH 1143 ashrafi KM-353
This specimen was lot 59 in Sincona sale 88 (Zürich, May 2024), where it sold for 3,400 CHF (about US$4,493 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"IRAN, Afsharid Dynasty, Nader Shah, as viceroy in the East, 1142-1148 AH (1729-1735). Ashrafi 1143 AH (1731), Mashhad Mint. Äusserst seltene Münzstätte; Extremely rare mint. NGC MS65. While this coin formerly was assigned to Tahmasp II, according to the current state of knowledge this coin is to be assigned to Nader Shah as viceroy. Purchased from Spink & Son, Zürich, in 1987."
Nadir Shah was the power behind the throne in the last years of the Safavids. Finally, he tired of ruling thru puppets and seized the throne for himself in AH 1148. This gold ashrafi was minted while he was still viceroy. Even tho Nadir Shah was an Afsharid, we are including this with the Safavid coinage.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, gold, this specimen 3.35 g.
Catalog reference: Album 2735, KM 353, Farahbakhsh -, Rabino 274.
- Album, Stephen, Checklist of Islamic Coins, 3rd Ed. Santa Rosa, Stephen Album Rare Coins, 2011.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 88, The Kian Collection - Part II, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2024.
Link to: