Iran SH1340 pahlavi
This specimen was lot 33343 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, May 2024), where it sold for $600. The catalog description[1] noted, "IRAN. Pahlavi, SH 1340 (1961). Tehran Mint. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. NGC MS-65. Frosty and quite alluring, this Gem emanates from the middle part of the series." The Qajar empire was nearly bankrupt by the end of the 1800’s, and the dynasty finally fell when Reza Khan, a commander of the Persian Cossack Brigade, led a coup d’etat and launched the Pahlavi Dynasty in 1925 AD. This type was struck SH 1330-1353 and is common. It has the same amount of gold as the British sovereign. Gold half (Fr-102), 2½ (Fr-100), five (Fr-99) and ten pahlavis also exist. The shah was overthrown in 1979 and he died the next year.
Recorded mintage: 528,000.
Specification: 8.13 g, 0.900 fine gold, 0.2354 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-101; KM-1162.
- 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, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, May 2024 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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