ISLAMIC, Persia (Post-Mongol). Safavids. Tahmasp I, AH 930-984 / AD 1524-1576. 1/4 mithqal (Gold, 13 mm, 1.15 g, 6 h), fourth gold standard, Mashhad, AH 960 = 1552/3. Shiʿa kalima within a circle, ‘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); in the margin, the names of the Shiʿa imams, partly effaced. Rev. Within an ornate central cartouche, the name of the 8th Shiʿa Imam whose tomb is in Mashhad, ‘Imām Riḍā’ (‘Imam Rida’ in Persian); around, the name and titles of the king, mostly effaced, followed by ‘zarb-e Mashhad, 960’ (‘Struck in Mashhah, 960’ in Persian). Album O2593. Struck on a slightly short flan, otherwise, very fine.