Identify year of coin: Persian coins
Determining the year of minting of a coin is an important aspect of the identification of your coin. For most countries this isn't hard as it is written on the coin using the Gregorian or Western calendar. But when it comes, for instance, to Chinese, Japanese or Arab coins, this could be a more hazzardess job.
Therefore, I tried to make a tutorial (based on several websites and Wikipedia) how to read these years and how to translate them to the Gregorian calendar.
Therefore, I tried to make a tutorial (based on several websites and Wikipedia) how to read these years and how to translate them to the Gregorian calendar.
Persian Calendar
Note: The Islamic calendar doesn't follow the Persian calendar, see: Islamic coins.
The Persian or Jalaali calendar is a solar calendar. It is nowadays used in Iran and Afghanistan and is called the Solar Hijri calendar. The start of this calendar is when Muhammed migrated to Medina, the Hijra in 622 AD. The start of the year is at the Vernal equinox (the day in spring when night and day are at equal length) of the Northern hemisphere.
The first 6 months consist of 31 days and the next 5 months consist of 30 days. The final month consists of 29 days, except on leap years when it consists of 30 days. Summed up, the years are of equal length as the years of the Western calendar and differs as well from the Islamic calendar.
Coins using the Persian calendar usually originate from Afghanistan and Iran. The Arabic numbers and their western counterparts are given here:
The Persian or Jalaali calendar is a solar calendar. It is nowadays used in Iran and Afghanistan and is called the Solar Hijri calendar. The start of this calendar is when Muhammed migrated to Medina, the Hijra in 622 AD. The start of the year is at the Vernal equinox (the day in spring when night and day are at equal length) of the Northern hemisphere.
The first 6 months consist of 31 days and the next 5 months consist of 30 days. The final month consists of 29 days, except on leap years when it consists of 30 days. Summed up, the years are of equal length as the years of the Western calendar and differs as well from the Islamic calendar.
Coins using the Persian calendar usually originate from Afghanistan and Iran. The Arabic numbers and their western counterparts are given here:
١ | ٢ | ٣ | ۴ | ۵ | ۶ | ٧ | ٨ | ٩ | ٠ |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
To calculate which year on the Persian calendar corresponds with which Western year one needs to extract 621-622 years from the Western year. Or, the other way around, add 621-622 years to the Persian year. Since the calendars are a little bit of the years don't correspond exactly.
For instance: ۱۳۷۸ = 1378. 1378 + (621-622) = 1999-2000 (april 1999 - march 2000.)
For instance: ۱۳۷۸ = 1378. 1378 + (621-622) = 1999-2000 (april 1999 - march 2000.)