Persian Gulf pale gold Imitative "Hairpin" Larin ND (16th-18th Century) VF (Lightly Cleaned), cf. Mitch-2324-2325 (for other imitations), Opitz-pg. 198 (this piece illustrated). 53mm. 3.40gm. Tested at 0.278 fine gold. A very peculiar type, most particularly as larins in gold are virtually unknown, and the one other gold type we have been able to locate--the "Walve Hoard" type--is both an entirely different shape and much smaller in size (around 0.5gm). Mitchiner documents that imitative "hairpin" style larins were produced around the Persian Gulf copying the style of the Safavid larins from the 16th century, but we are unaware of any example like the present piece. Very rare and of the highest interest to the collector of odd and unusual currencies.

HID09801242017

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