Iran 10 & 20 Rials 1951–1961 Young Shah & Pahlavi Portrait Type Group | 12 Notes Crisp Uncirculated | P-54 P-69 P-71

A carefully assembled archival group of twelve Crisp Uncirculated Iranian banknotes spanning one of the most visually compelling decades in Persian numismatic history — 1951 to 1961 — documenting the visual evolution of the Pahlavi monarchy across two issuing banks and three distinct catalog types.

This group brings together 10 Rial and 20 Rial notes across Pick 54, Pick 69, and Pick 71, representing both the early "Young Shah" portrait of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi from Bank Melli's 1951 issue and the mature uniformed 5th portrait found on both the 1958 Bank Melli and the inaugural 1961 Bank Markazi issues. All notes were printed by the prestigious Harrison & Sons of London, renowned for their masterful intaglio work on Pahlavi-era currency.

The reverse designs across this group are a showcase of Persian art and national pride: the P-54 bears a Sassanid-era carved relief of the mythological Simurgh — Iran's legendary bird of wisdom — from the ancient rock-cut sanctuary at Tagh-i-Bostan in Kermanshah. The P-69 features the iconic Ramsar Grand Hotel on the shores of the Caspian Sea, flanked by a statue of the Shah in a Caspian town square. The P-71, the inaugural Bank Markazi 10 Rials issue, depicts the monumental Amir Kabir Dam near Karaj — a symbol of Iran's postwar industrialization drive.

These notes span the critical transition from Bank Melli Iran to the newly established Bank Markazi (Central Bank of Iran), authorized by the Iranian legislature in 1960 and issuing its first notes in 1961 — making the P-71 a genuine first-issue historical piece. Together, the three Pick types form a cohesive portrait of Pahlavi-era Iran at its most confident and outward-looking.

All twelve notes present in Crisp Uncirculated condition with bright paper, sharp corners, and full original embossing consistent with archival storage from the time of issue. Sourced through established U.S. numismatic channels, and an ideal foundation for any Pahlavi-era type set.