ISLAMIC, Persia (Post-Mongol). Safavids. Tahmasp I, AH 930-984 / AD 1524-1576. 1/4 mithqal (Gold, 13 mm, 1.16 g, 7 h), fourth gold standard, Imam Rida (= Mashhad), AH 968 = 1560/1. Traces of the Shiʿa kalima, ‘lā ilāha illā Allāh Muḥammad rasūl Allāh ʿAlī walī Allāh’ (‘There is no deity but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. Ali is the friend of Allah’ in Arabic); the names of the twelve shiʿa imams in the surrounding segments, mostly effaced. Rev. Within an ornate cartouche, ‘Imām Riḍā, 968’ (‘Imam Rida, 968’ in Arabic); around, traces of the titles of the king, mostly effaced. Album O2593. Areas of weakness, otherwise, extremely fine.

From the Asha & Ardeshir Dabestani Collection, formed over the past four decades.