ISLAMIC, Persia (Post-Mongol). Safavids. Tahmasp I, AH 930-984 / AD 1524-1576. 1/4 mithqal (Gold, 13 mm, 1.14 g, 1 h), fourth gold standard, Mashhad, AH 960 = 1552/3. 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, ‘Mashhad Imām Riḍā, 960’ (‘Mashhad of Imam Rida, 960’ in Arabic); around, traces of the titles of the king, mostly effaced. Album O2593. Some areas of weakness as usuael and with a few minor scratches, otherwise, good very fine.