Minted by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Bahar Azadi gold coin was first issued in 1979 following the Iranian Revolution when it replaced the Pahlavi coin.
The name of the coin roughly translates to “The Spring of Freedom” and signifies the freedom from the monarchy that followed the revolution.
The Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran was founded in 1960 and immediately renamed following the revolution (to comprise the existing name and add the Islamic Republic of Iran into its official title).
The currency in Iran is the Rial and it is issued in the form of banknotes and coins. The government in Iran is the sole authority with the right to issue currency.
Depending on when they were minted (pre- or post-1989) these Islamic gold coins feature different designs.
Those minted before 1989 feature a geometric design on the reverse and a mosque on the front. You’ll also see ‘The Central bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran’ and ‘Bahar Azadi’ written in calligraphic script on the front.
For coins produced after 1989, the design was changed to memorialise Ruhollah Khomeini – an Iranian Shia Muslim, the leader of the Iranian Revolution and the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran – who died in June 1989. Following his death, the design on the front remained similar to that used previously, whilst the design on the reverse was changed completely to show Ruhollah Khomeini’s face.
Source: Gold Bullion