Coins From Persia/Iran?

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psychump
psychump Posts: 1,378 ✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum

Hello, I am mostly a 1963 Topps baseball collector but picked up a bag of coins at a garage sale and these were among mostly wheat pennies. I am having trouble figuring out what I have. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks,Jim
I ended up reading a bunch of discussions...fascinating!

Tallulah Bankhead — 'There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare.'

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  • Namvet69
    Namvet69 Posts: 9,421 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    That's Pavlavi from Iran and his royal lion crest. IMO. Peace Roy

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  • cursive
    cursive Posts: 15 ✭✭
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    Wow! You got a major score with those - they're gold! If they're real, obviously. The first one looks like a ½ Pahlavi and the second looks like some kind of Azadi - if it's the same size as the other one it's the ½ Azadi. I can't read Persian and the pictures are a bit blurry so I can't be sure of the denomination, but that size of coin has an actual gold weight of 0.1177 troy ounces, which is about $150 worth of gold at today's prices. Apparently they actually circulate in Iran as part of dowry payments and now rent, because sanctions make the official currency shaky. There was a sad story about them recently as the authorities executed a dealer who was apparently hoarding them and manipulating the currency market.

    Where did you find these, hidden in a bag of wheat pennies or something? There's a lesson for you - make sure you know where your valuables are, and make sure you know what you're selling.

  • 291fifth
    291fifth Posts: 25,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The original packaging is interesting and the fact they are gold is exceptional. I never find anything in a wheat penny lot except corrosion!

    All glory is fleeting.
  • psychump
    psychump Posts: 1,378 ✭✭✭
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    Thank you for your great knowledge. They are heavy so I believe they are gold. Cursive gave some good info so I guess they are 1/4 Pahlavi and 1/2 Azadi. The pahlavi was loose in a pill bottle with Buffalo nickels, some mercury dimes and wheat pennies. The Azadi was paperclipped inside a 1943 steel penny set.

    Tallulah Bankhead — 'There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare.'
  • Stork
    Stork Posts: 5,208 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Nice score then! Someone was salting their stash...

  • psychump
    psychump Posts: 1,378 ✭✭✭
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    Yes they look pretty sweet. But as a top seller on eBay I am not allowed to sell these as they are an embargoed item. Still I see a bunch of Iranian gold coins for sale there. They said they are protecting my status! Bah. They for sale here then.

    Tallulah Bankhead — 'There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare.'

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