Iran Shah of Iran souvenir banknote (not legal tender) 1000 rials 2025 UNC—Made in Turkey

Product produced in Turkey by the world's largest wholesale dealer in Iranian currency for collectors. High quality design, printing and paper.

Modern fantasy banknote-style issue celebrating the Shah and Imperial Iran, blending Achaemenid symbolism with contemporary design—highly collectible among Iranian diaspora and historical currency enthusiasts.

This is a fantasy / private-issue style banknote, not an official Central Bank of Iran note—though it deliberately borrows heavily from imperial Iranian symbolism and aesthetics.

• Denomination: 1000 rials

• Issuer (fictional): ICB (ICB Banknote Authority / ICB Printing House Co.)

• Series name: “Iranian Leaders Banknotes Series”

• “1st Issue 2025” — clearly modern, commemorative, or collector-oriented

The design blends:

• Pahlavi-era imperial imagery

• Achaemenid symbolism

• Modern decorative banknote styling

• A subtle political nostalgia undertone

Front

Portrait

• Central oval frame contains Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran

• Depicted in full ceremonial military regalia:

  • Medals and decorations

  • Gold epaulettes

  • White uniform

• The frame is ornate, almost baroque—suggesting monarchy and prestige

Beneath the portrait:

• Signature-style inscription:

  • “Mohammad Reza Pahlavi”

  • Dates: 1919–1980

Background Symbolism

• Behind the portrait: Faravahar (winged disk with human figure at the center)

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  • Core symbol of Zoroastrianism, representing the ethical triad of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds

  • Often used in modern Iranian nationalism to reference pre-Islamic Persia

  • Subtly links the Shah to ancient Persian kingship, suggesting a lineage that reaches back to the imperial past.
    

   

• This is a very intentional ideological choice—it signals:

  • Imperial identity

  • Cultural continuity from Achaemenid Persia

Map

• Silhouette of Iran’s geographic outline appears on both sides

• Rendered in textured gold/white overlays

Columns (Left & Right)

• Stylized Persepolis columns

  • Likely referencing Achaemenid architecture

  • Capitals resemble double-headed bulls, typical of Persepolis

Text Elements

• Arabic/Persian script at top:

  • Likely reads something like “Markaz-e Chap-e Banknot” (Banknote Printing Authority)

• English:

  • “ICB Banknote Authority”

  • “1st Issue 2025”

Decorative Elements

• Repeating geometric border pattern (turquoise/teal)

• Radiating lines behind portrait → halo-like effect

• Subtle guilloché-style textures

Back

The central emblem is a composite imperial crest:

• Crown at top (Pahlavi-style crown)

• Central medallion resembling:

  • Sunburst / Faravahar fusion

• Wings extending outward

• Two large curved elements resembling:

  • Stylized horns or ceremonial elements

This is not an exact historical coat of arms, but inspired by the Imperial State of Iran emblem

Banner is  a green ribbon with:

• Persian/Arabic script

• “ICB” in Latin letters

Text

• “IRANIAN LEADERS BANKNOTES SERIES”

• “ICB Printing House Co.”

• “1000 RIALS”

Typography is modern serif—clean, almost commemorative rather than circulating currency style.

Side Panels

• Ornamental vertical panels on left and right:

  • Geometric Persian motifs

  • Evoke architectural tilework

Map (again)

• Iran’s silhouette repeated on right side

Color Palette

• Gold / ochre → imperial wealth

• Green → traditional Islamic + Iranian national color

• Turquoise / teal → Persian art and tilework

• Muted blue-gray → modern contrast

The palette intentionally bridges:

• Ancient Persia

• Pahlavi monarchy

• Contemporary design

What this note is “saying”

This isn’t just decorative—it’s ideological:

• Centers Mohammad Reza Pahlavi → nostalgia for monarchy

• Uses Faravahar + Persepolis → pre-Islamic identity

• Minimizes Islamic Republic symbolism entirely

• English-heavy labeling → aimed at international collectors

It’s essentially:

A counterfactual Iran where imperial continuity persists into the present.

Numismatic Classification

Fantasy note / private issue produced for:

• Collectors

• Political nostalgia markets

• Thematic series (like your NK “Ehobbex-type” parallels)

Comparable niche:

• “What-if” or parallel-history banknotes

• Similar to:

  • Confederate fantasy issues

  • Alternate Soviet notes

  • Monarchist restoration themes

Subtle Design Details You Might Miss

• The vertical dashed line → mimics security thread placement

• Serial numbers stylized but not functional

• The Faravahar is positioned like a watermark motif

• The portrait lighting is slightly photorealistic, not engraved → digital era production