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Orbis Collectibles

Persian silver qiran (kran), Qajar period

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · partial

Period

1825–1932 (qiran currency); this entry covers Qajar silver qirans

The qiran (Persian قران, also romanised kran) was the silver currency unit of Iran from 1825 until 1932. One qiran was divided into 20 shahi or 1,000 dinars and was worth one tenth of a toman. This entry covers the silver qiran coinage struck under the Qajar dynasty, from hand-struck (hammered) pieces to the milled coinage introduced in 1876.

Until 1876 silver was struck in denominations of 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 qiran. The milled coinage of 1876 comprised 12, 25, 50, 100 and 200 dinars and 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2 and 5 qiran, while gold coins and banknotes were denominated in toman. In 1932 the rial replaced the qiran at par, divided into 100 new dinars, although the word qiran remains in everyday Persian usage. The photograph shows a hammered silver kran of Mohammad Shah (reigned AH 1250–1264 / 1835–1848) dated AH 1256, Rijksmuseum KOG-MP-1-3797.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
2
Photograph views
1
Catalogue references
0

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Between 1874 and 1895 the qiran lost about half its value against sterling, falling from 25 to 50 qirans to the pound. In 1930 it was pegged at 59.75 qirans to the pound, a rate carried over when the rial replaced the qiran at par in 1932. Background figures follow Wikipedia's article on the Iranian qiran; mint-by-mint and year-by-year data require a specialist catalogue.

Design

Script
Persian (Arabic script) legends; dates in Persian numerals
Typical fields
Ruler's name or titles, mint name and Hijri date

Identification

Manufacture
Hammered until 1876; milled from 1876
How to identify
Qajar qirans are dated in the lunar Hijri (AH) calendar in Persian numerals; the ruler's name, mint name and date are the key fields, and hammered versus milled manufacture separates pre-1876 from later issues.
Denomination system
1 toman = 10 qiran; 1 qiran = 20 shahi = 1,000 dinars
Illustrated example
Mohammad Shah, AH 1256, Rijksmuseum KOG-MP-1-3797

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Research required
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Research required
Weight
Research required
Mint or printer
Research required
Mint or printer mark
Research required
Catalogue reference
Research required
Attached photograph (check rights)
Recorded

Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.

Catalogue references

No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.

Research required

  • Research Required: catalogue (KM) numbers, weights and mint lists for individual qiran types are not yet transcribed.
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