The Inscription of the Name “Iran” on Coins, Seals, and Documents During the Reign of Nādir Shāh Afshār

Abstract Coins and seals have long served as essential tools for governments to express their political and religious stances. However, during the reign of Nādir Shāh (r. 1688–1747), religious concepts gradually disappeared from coins and seals, and, notably, for the first time in post-Islamic era in Iran, the title “Iran” was simultaneously engraved on the coins and the seal of Nādir Shāh—an unprecedented usage in the history of Persian numismatics and sigillography. Employing a library–field research method and content analysis, this study examines the effects of Nādir Shāh’s political vision on the inscriptions of coins and seals from his era. Moreover, this study explores the purpose and the motivation of Nādir Shāh in engraving “Land of Iran” on silver coins and the name of “Iran” on his own seal. The findings indicate that Nādir Shāh’s ideological stance significantly influenced both the content and symbolism of the period’s currency and seals. In addition, the study reveals that he strategically used seals—particularly coins—as instruments for disseminating his political views.