Safavid / Shahi of Tahmasp Shah I of Mashhad mint,

Started by goldenage, September 22, 2022, 07:29:16 PM

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goldenage

5.6 grams

Help to identify reign, mint and year if possible. Mitchiner wasn't a great help.

Thanks!

saro

Not mughal but a Safavid Shahi of Tahmasp Shah I of Mashhad mint.
the date is erased on your coin (in central cartouche, at right above mint)
the shiite formula on obverse wasn't used by mughals.
see Zeno #39831
"All I know is that I know nothing" (Socrates)

aws22

Thank you Saro for the coin ID. The weight of the coin 5.6 gm indicates that it is silver 2 Shahi minted during the period 938 to 945 AH. The diameter of the coin should be 22 or 25 mm.
Safavid, Shah Tahmasp I, AH (938 - 945), AR 2 Shahi, Mashhad mint (AH 930-984/1524-1576 AD)
Reverse (Left photo):
Center field:  inside cartouche :
ضرب مشهد  , Zarb Mashhad
Margin:
السلطان العادل الکامل الهادی الوالی ابوالمظفر شاه طهماسب بهادر خان الصفوی خلدالله تعالی ملکه و سلطانه
Al-Sultan al-'Adil al-Kamil al-Hadi al-Wali Abu al-Muzafar Shah Tahmasp Bahadur Khan al-Safavi, Khalad Allah Ta'ala malkahu wa sultanahu.
The date is not visible.
Obverse (Right photo):
Field: inside center cartouche, shiite formula (Kalima):
" لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله علی ولی الله ", La illah l'Allah Muhammad Rasul Allah, 'Ali Wali Allah, meaning, " no God but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God, 'Ali is the chosen one of God ".
Margin: circular legend of the 12 Shiite Imams:
" علي حسن حسين علي محمد جعفر موسى علي محمد علي حسن محمد " 'Ali Hasan Hussein 'Ali Muhammad Jafar Musa 'Ali Muhammad 'Ali Hasan Muhammad"

Maythem
Coin collecting has a curious name. It is also called the "Hobby of Kings".

saro

This type from Mashhad mint is found with dates : 935 & 936 AH, at beginning of Tahmasp's reign and, according to Zeno, are 1 shahi coins, assigned to the 2nd eastern standard in use from 934to 954AH (5,54g).
Mashhad under control of Shaybanids was taken for a while by Tahmasp I in 934 AH; Safavids occuped the city till 936 before it was taken and plundered by Uzbeks. Shah 'Abbas will later recover the city.
Coins have been struck in Mashhad by Shah Tahmasp I during his 3 years occupation of the city.
"All I know is that I know nothing" (Socrates)

aws22

#4
Thank you Saro for the clarification. According to Iranian references, the silver 1 Shahi has the following data:
Diameter: 17 & 21 mm
3.8 gm for the period 930-938 AH
2.7 gm for the period 938-945 AH
2.3 gm for the period 945-982 AH
But goldenage' coin has the weight of 5.6 gm, so it cannot be 1 Shahi.

Maythem
Coin collecting has a curious name. It is also called the "Hobby of Kings".

goldenage

#5
Thank you very much Saro and Maythem for the correct identification and important details. The word علي also made me think, that should be shiite. But the seller wrongly described it as an indian Moghul coin. So I thought maybe the inscription could mean someting like عليه السلام:)

saro

Quote from: aws22 on September 23, 2022, 09:27:10 AMgoldenage' coin has the weight of 5.6 gm, so it cannot 1 Shahi.
Sources are not in full accordannce, it seems.
The table 4.1 titled "Official silver standards under the Safavid Shahs (1501-1722)" of "the monetary history of Iran from the Safavids to the Qajars" (R.Matthee 2013) well listed a 1 shahi coin struck on the 2nd eastern standard weighing 5,54g.
Silver standards were not uniform in the persian empire, the eastern standard was current in Mashhad, a city placed precisely in this area.

Table Safavids.jpg
"All I know is that I know nothing" (Socrates)

saro

Quote from: goldenage on September 23, 2022, 09:50:32 AMBut the seller wrongly described it as an indian Moghul coin. So I thought maybe the inscription could mean someting like عليه السلام:)
The inscription in the central cartouche is "zarb Mashhad / ضرب مشهد" as reported by Maythem.
"All I know is that I know nothing" (Socrates)

aws22

Thank you Saro; yes the two words inside the central cartouche " Zarb ضرب " and on top of it the word " Mashhad مشهد ". The table you have shown seems to be the answer to whether it is 1 or 2 Shahi. I hope that goldenage, gives us the diameter of his coin in order to confirm it is 1 Shahi.
Diameter of 1 Shahi: 17 or 21 mm
Diameter of 2 Shahi: 22 or 25 mm

Maythem
Coin collecting has a curious name. It is also called the "Hobby of Kings".

goldenage

Diameter: 2.8-2.9cm,
Exact weight: 5.44g

Even more than expected??

aws22

Thank you goldenage, the diameter 28-29 mm is more than expected. The 2 Shahi is largest denomination in the silver range for Tahmasp I coins. I think, this diameter is closer to a 2 Shahi.

Maythem
Coin collecting has a curious name. It is also called the "Hobby of Kings".

goldenage

Thank you too. Is this coin rather a rare one? Because of the short mint period in Mashhad and the large diameter?

saro

Yes Dear Goldenage, this coin is not common and historically of interest  :)
As far I know, there was no standard for the diameter of coins, the weight only is taken in account ? larger and thinner coins could well have been struck by Tahmasp to be close in size to the previous Shaybanid tankas (the style of Tahmasp's coins are also very similar to these tankas...see for ex the Zeno #115488)
(The eastern weight standard used in Mashhad also approximates that of ancient Shaybanids tankas.)
Weights standards of Safavids are very complex and confusing;  according to the updated table of standards, the 2 shahi coin appears somewhat later than 936 AH.
"All I know is that I know nothing" (Socrates)

saro

Ref : Album 2606
Found this coin with its description : 29,5mm diameter !
Tahmasp Shahi large flan.jpg

"Persia, Safavid: Shah Tahmasp I (930-984 AH/11524-1576), silver Shahi (5.40 g 29.5 mm), Mint of Mashhad, Struck AH 935, Beautiful Calligraphy! It is Album-2606 Struck on a large flan"
"All I know is that I know nothing" (Socrates)

goldenage

I see. Very interessting. Thank you for the description. Indeed they resemble the Shaybanid tankas. For this reason the seller maybe wrongly attributed the coin to the Moguhl Empire.
In my eyes again a beautiful example how coins were often minted in similar shapes by the new reign as coins from earlier defeated empires or ethnies, which were present in the same region. I love this phenomena. Coins are making history so living! :)
Thanks for the example of Album 2606. Does the album have a title?