COIN DESCRIPTION:

PERSIA; SAFAVID; SHAH TAHMSB L.

930-984 H.

GOLD 1/2 MITHQAL; (2.32 GM; 13MM)

MERAT MINT (ND). NICE STRIKE

GOLD COINS WERE NOT USED A  TRADE COIN BUT GIVEN BY LEADERS COUNCIL MEMBERS AS GIFT OR COMMEMORATION SO CONDITION OF GOLD COIN IS HIGH AS THEY WERE KEPT AS SHOW DISPLAY  PIECE OF PERSONS WEALTH AND PRIVILIDGED LIFE

Ancient Persia was a grand empire between 600 and 529 BC

Around 520 BC the empire was flourishing under  its famous leader Darius and produced it first gold coins known as Darics or archers but in 330 BC Darius was captured by Alexander The Great  of Macedon and the days of this great empire ended

After Alexander took control of Persia he released the massive gold holdings of this country and triggered the first known Inflation event in history.

The famous gold Darics issued 521 to 485 BC became one of the focal trading gold coins of the Mediterranean as Arabs were good at trading and networking in the ancient world.

These coins are listed today by many sites as Greek coins as this country had heavy gold trade with ancient Persia

Persian Gold coins are only now a collectors item in the west and are still relatively good value compared to Greek Gold coins

The Persian produced many gold coins to finance their military operations.

They collected gold as taxes and minted  gold coins ,a famous mint was the  kashan mint

The basic unit was the Sassanian Dinar

With Fractional denominations of 1/3 and 1/6 of a dinar

Note many coin sites sell Ancient Persian coins under catagory Greek as it is more marketable

Buy your ancient Persian coins direct from source asin years to come they will be highly prized as a collectible coin in the West