Stamps of Iran 1868-1925

Emblem of Persia showing Lion and Sun, 1423-1907

Postage Stamps of Iran issued during the Qajar shahs period. Numbering according Scott catalogue.

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar ruled from 5 September 1848 to 1 May 1896. During his reign different currencies existed: 1 Toman = 10 Kran = 200 Chahis, after 1881: 1 Franc = 100 Centimes. In 1877, Persia adopted a silver standard, whilst the toman was linked to the Gold Napoleon at the rate of 1 toman matching 0.5 Napoleon or 5 francs.

In 1868 Persia issued its first stamps (1870 in Yvert catalogue).

1876 Lion with European value

Values 1 Ch to 4 Kr. Model created in 1875.

• 
  4 chahis red, used Tabriz (?) Mi16

1876

Naser al-Din first portrait issue. Different perforations ranging from 10.5-13 exist.

• 
  1 Chahi lilac & black (№ 27)
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  5 Chahis rose and black (№ 29)
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  10 Chahis blue and black, cancel 'TEHERAN' (№ 30)
• 
  The set of 4 (№ 27-30)

1879-1880

Naser al-Din second portrait issue. Stamps with a colored frame, perforated 12.

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  1879, 1 Kran brown (№ 41)
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  1879, 5 Krans blue, cancel 'KERMAN' (№ 42)
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  1879, 5 Krans blue, cancel 'TEHERAN' (№ 42)
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  1880, 1 Chahi red (№ 43)
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  1880, 1 Chahi red, twice on fragment with cancel 'KAZARMAN' (№ 43)
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  1880, 2 Chahis yellow (№ 44)
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  1880, 2 Chahis yellow (№ 44)
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  1880, 5 Chahis green used (№ 45)
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  1880, 5 Chahis green used in YEZD (№ 45)
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  1880, 10 Chahis purple, cancel 'TEHERAN' (№ 46)

1881

Sun with and without a colored frame. 1881 lithographed (№ 47-49) and September 1881 recess printing issues (№ 50-52). Perforated 12 or 13. Printed by the Austrian Imperial Printing Works of Vienna.

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  5 Chahis purple, cancel 'ISPAHAN' (№ 47)
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  10 Chahis carmine-rose (№ 48)
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  10 Chahis carmine-rose (№ 48)
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  25 Chahis green, cancel 'TEHERAN' (№ 49)
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  5 Chahis (№ 50)
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  10 Chahis (№ 51)
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  25 Chahis (№ 52)

1882-1884

Sun with colored frame, Naser al-Din. Perforated 12 or 13.

• 
  5 Chahis (№ 53)
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  5 Chahis (№ 53)
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  5 Chahis used in RESCHT (№ 53)
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  5 Chahis, two instead of three dots at right end of scroll (№ 53a)
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  10 Chahis (№ 54)
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  50 Centimes (№ 55)
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  1884, 50 Centimes (№ 56)
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  1 Franc used in SCHIRAZ (№ 57)
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  1 Franc (№ 57)
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  5 Francs (№ 58)
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  10 Francs, cto (№ 59)
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  10 Francs, cto (№ 59)
• 
  10 Francs, cto (№ 59)

1876-1884 forgeries

• 
  Forged 1882 5 centimes
• 
  Forged 1882 10 centimes
• 
  Forged 1882 25 centimes
• 
  Forged 1882-84 5 centimes
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  1882 issues fake vs genuine comparison

1885-1886

Vienna typographed issue depicting the Persian lion or Naser al-Din. Perforated 12 or 13.

• 
  1 Chahi unused (№ 60)
• 
  1 Chahi (№ 60)
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  2 Chahis unused (№ 61)
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  2 Chahis (№ 61)
• 
  5 Chahis, 124 rays (№ 62)
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  10 Chahis (№ 63)
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  1 Kran (№ 64)
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  5 Krans (№ 65)
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  5 Krans used in Mesched (№ 65)

1885-1887 surcharges

Officially authorized ('Officiel') surcharges. Sun with colored frame, Naser al-Din. Perforated 12 or 13.

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  1885, 6c on 5s type I (№ 66)
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  1885, 12c on 50c (№ 67)
• 
  1885, 18c on 10s (№ 68)
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  1885, 1t on 5fr (№ 69)
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  1887, 3c on 5s type I (№ 70)
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  1887, 6c on 10s (№ 71)
• 
  1887, 8c on 50c (№ 72)

1885-1887 forgeries

Surcharge and stamp forged.

• 
  6c on 5s
• 
  3c on 5s
• 
  Forged 12c on 10c

1889

Persian lion or Naser al-Din.

• 
  1c unused (№ 73)
• 
  1c used (№ 73)
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  2c used (№ 74)
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  5c unused (№ 75)
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  5c unused (№ 75)
• 
  5c unused misperforated (№ 75)
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  7c used (№ 76)
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  10c unused (№ 77)
• 
  10c used (№ 77)
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  1k used (№ 78)
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  2k used (№ 79)
• 
  5k used (№ 80)

1891

Persian lion or Naser al-Din.

Perforated 10.5

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  2c used (№ 82)
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  5c used (№ 83)
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  7c used (№ 84)
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  14c used (№ 86)
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  1k used (№ 87)
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  5k used (№ 89)

Perforated 11.5

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  1c used (№ 81)
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  2c used (№ 82)
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  7c used (№ 84)
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  10c used (№ 85)
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  1k used (№ 87)
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  2k used in TEHERAN (№ 88)
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  5k used in TEHERAN (№ 89)

1894

September. Typographed Persian lion or Naser al-Din.

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  1c used (№ 90)
• 
  1c used (№ 90)
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  2c used (№ 91)
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  5c used (№ 92)
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  8c used (№ 93)
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  10c used in TEHERAN (№ 94)
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  16c used in RESCHT (№ 95)
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  16c unused (№ 95)
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  1k used in TEHERAN (№ 96)
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  2k unused (№ 97)
• 
  2k used (№ 97)
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  5k unused (№ 98)
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  5k used in YEZD (№ 98)
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  10k unused (№ 99)
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  10k used (№ 99)
• 
  50k unused (№ 100)

1903 issue

New lion emblem or shah, typo by Enschedé.

• 
  3 Chahis, black oval Mi187
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  5 Chahis, violet oval Tehran Mi188
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  12 Chahis Mi190

Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar

Kran values (1-50) with new portrait of the shah (ruled 1896-1906), recess by Enschedé, design by Prof. Rudolf Stang.

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  5 Krans, violet oval used Mi193 Yv207
• 
  30 Krans Mi196 Yv210

1909 transition

Lion emblem, typo by Enschedé.

• 
  5 kran, gold border - Mi300
• 
  10 kran, gold border - Mi301

1911 Shah Ahmed

Ahmad Shah Qajar (January 1898 – 21 February 1930) was Shah of Iran from 16 July 1909 to 15 December 1925, and the last ruling member of the Qajar dynasty. He ascended to the throne at the age of 12 after the removal of his father Mohammad-Ali Shah by the Parliament on 16 July 1909. Upon reaching his majority Ahmad Shah was formally crowned on 21 July 1914.

• 
  2 chahis Mi305
• 
  3 ch DC cancel to be identified Mi306
• 
  2 Kr oval cancel to be identified Mi318
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  20 Kr Mi323

1911-1915 overprints

During the 1911-1915 period, many stamps were issued overprinted for various reasons (Michel N°s 325-362).

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  1 Kr ovpt Persian year 1333 (1915) Mi362

1916-1922 overprints

During the 1916-1922 period, many stamps were issued overprinted for various reasons (Michel N°s 397-482). Some examples:

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  10 Ch Surcharged 1 Ch & 1335 (Persian for 1917) Mi405
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  1 kr surcharged 6 CHAHIS & ovpt 1337 (Persian for 1918) Mi431
• 
  6 Ch Iran Provisoire 1919 Mi444
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  10 CHAHIS on 6 Ch Iran ovpt BENADERS Mi460
• 
  20 Kr Iran ovpt CONTROLE 1922 Mi477

1924 new Ahmed shah portrait

Values 1 Chahi to 30 Krans. Overprinted in 1926 REGNE de PAHLAVI.

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  1 Chahi Mi483
• 
  2 Krans Mi491