PCGS Abroad: A Rare Royal Portrait Coin of Persia
June 10, 2026
Among Persian Islamic coinage, most issues carry designs that feature only inscriptions. However, during the reign of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar, some rare gold coins were issued featuring the king’s portrait. Incredibly rare and prized today, one such coin was recently submitted to the PCGS office in Paris for certification.
Those who study Islamic numismatics are surely familiar with Aniconism – a cultural avoidance or even a prohibition of images, especially of deities, prophets, and living people. This is to prevent idolatry, with conceptual representation replaced by symbols, calligraphy, or abstract patterns. This practice started in the 690s AD for coinage of Islamic rulers. This carried over to Persia with the Islamic conquest. While there are exceptions during some periods, such as Ilkhanids with Mongol influenced coinage, it wouldn’t be until the Qajars that the first Persian royal portraits would appear on coinage for a short period during the Fath-Ali Shah Qajar reign.
From PCGS