Iran 500000 Rials Set of 4 Different UNC Banknotes | Different Designs & Years

All four banknotes have the same 500,000 Rials denomination, but each one represents a different issue and has its own appearance.

The differences are visible even to collectors who do not use Pick numbers. Depending on the issue, you can compare changes in color, dimensions, layout, architectural imagery, reverse design, and overall presentation.

Therefore, this is very different from buying a lot of four identical 500,000 Rials notes.

Instead, you receive:

Banknote #1 | W153A | Different Design
Banknote #2 | W154 | Different Design
Banknote #3 | W164 | Different Design
Banknote #4 | W164A | Different Design

Together, they create a ready-made comparison set showing how the same Iranian denomination appeared across different issues.

Front | Imam Reza Shrine Complex

W153A immediately stands apart because of its larger format and expansive architectural presentation.

The front features a full view of the Imam Reza Shrine complex in Mashhad. The wider composition allows the architecture to occupy a substantial part of the banknote, while Persian inscriptions and denomination elements complete the design.

When all four notes are displayed together, W153A is one of the easiest varieties to distinguish because its dimensions and overall layout differ noticeably from the later designs.

Reverse | Persian Script & Ornamental Design

The reverse takes a different approach from the later issues.

Instead of a large natural landscape, it emphasizes Persian script together with floral and geometric patterns. This ornamental treatment gives W153A a distinctive reverse and creates an immediate contrast with the Mount Damavand imagery found later in the set.

Why W153A Matters in the Set

At approximately 175 × 80 mm, W153A provides the large-format reference within this four-note group.

Even a new collector can place it beside the other three notes and immediately recognize that this is not simply another copy of the same banknote.

Front | Detailed Dome Design

W154 changes both the physical format and the presentation of the architecture.

Rather than using the broad shrine-complex view seen on W153A, the front concentrates attention on a detailed dome composition. This closer architectural treatment gives the second banknote its own visual identity.

The difference becomes particularly noticeable when W153A and W154 are placed directly beside each other.

Reverse | Esmail Talayi Fountain Courtyard

The reverse features the Esmail Talayi fountain courtyard, introducing a more location-focused architectural scene.

This is another major point of distinction within the set. W153A relies more heavily on ornamental and script-based reverse elements, whereas W154 gives collectors a recognizable courtyard composition.

Why W154 Matters in the Set

At approximately 142 × 71 mm, W154 is considerably different in format from the larger W153A.

Therefore, the first two notes alone already demonstrate why this product is a four-different-banknotes set rather than a simple quantity lot.

Front | Alternate Dome View

W164 continues the architectural connection but introduces another visual arrangement.

The front presents an alternate dome view with a later-style layout, allowing collectors to compare how similar architectural themes were reworked across different 500,000 Rials issues.

This makes W164 especially interesting beside W154: both use architectural imagery, yet their formats and compositions remain visibly different.

Reverse | Mount Damavand

Turn the note over and the visual character changes considerably.

The reverse presents Mount Damavand, Iran’s highest peak and one of the country’s most recognizable natural landmarks.

The open mountain landscape provides a strong contrast with the architectural and ornamental reverses of the earlier varieties. Consequently, W164 introduces a natural and geographic theme into the four-note set.

Why W164 Matters in the Set

At approximately 156 × 71 mm, W164 represents another format and design stage within the denomination.

Its combination of later-style architecture and Mount Damavand makes it particularly easy to distinguish from W153A and W154.

Front | Imam Reza Shrine, Mashhad

The fourth banknote, W164A, returns strongly to the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad while presenting the subject through its own composition.

Persian inscriptions, denomination details, and Islamic architectural elements surround the shrine imagery. Although religious architecture appears elsewhere in the group, W164A should not be viewed as a duplicate: it represents another catalogue variety with a visibly different treatment.

That distinction makes it an important final piece in this four-banknote comparison.

Reverse | Mount Damavand

The reverse presents Mount Damavand, pairing one of Iran’s most recognizable religious landmarks on the front with its highest mountain on the back.

W164 and W164A therefore provide an interesting comparison within the set. Both incorporate the Damavand theme, yet they remain separate varieties with differences collectors can examine side by side.

Why W164A Matters in the Set

W164A completes the progression from W153A through W154 and W164.

Instead of ending with another identical copy, the fourth position gives the collector another distinct 500,000 Rials variety and completes the advertised set of four different banknotes.

W153A | Approx. 175 × 80 mm
Full Imam Reza Shrine complex → Persian script with floral and geometric patterns

W154 | Approx. 142 × 71 mm
Detailed dome design → Esmail Talayi fountain courtyard

W164 | Approx. 156 × 71 mm
Alternate dome view → Mount Damavand landscape

W164A
Imam Reza Shrine → Mount Damavand

What they have in common: All four are 500,000 Rials banknotes supplied in UNC condition.

What makes them different: They represent four separate varieties with differences in design, color, format, issue period, and visual details.

You do not need to be an advanced numismatist to appreciate the differences in this set.

Start by placing the four banknotes next to each other. Their different dimensions, colors, and overall layouts make the progression easy to see.

Next, compare the fronts. Shrine architecture remains an important visual theme, but its presentation changes from one issue to another.

Finally, compare the reverses. The group moves from Persian ornamental elements to courtyard architecture and then to the broad landscape of Mount Damavand.

This means each position contributes something visually different to the set.

A regular lot of four banknotes often means receiving four copies of the same design. This set is built around the opposite idea.

You receive four different versions of the 500,000 Rials denomination in one purchase.

That makes the set particularly convenient for collectors who want variety without having to locate W153A, W154, W164, and W164A separately.

It also creates a more interesting album display. Instead of four nearly identical notes, each position introduces a different appearance and another point of comparison.

For new collectors, that means more visual variety. For experienced collectors, it means four separate catalogue references brought together as one organized group.

Most banknote sets create variety by combining different denominations.

This collection does something different.

Every banknote has the same:

500,000 Rials face value.

But the catalogue progression is:

W153A → W154 → W164 → W164A

Therefore, the attraction comes from seeing how one denomination changed across different issues.

This makes the set a useful addition for collectors who already own a basic Iranian denomination collection and now want to add greater depth and visual variety.

The four notes also work together visually because their designs connect several recognizable Iranian themes.

The Imam Reza Shrine and related architectural details provide a recurring cultural thread. However, changes in framing and layout prevent the notes from looking identical.

On the reverse sides, the variation becomes even stronger. Persian ornamental patterns and courtyard architecture eventually give way to the Mount Damavand landscape.

As a result, displaying all four together creates a progression from detailed architecture and ornamentation toward broader natural scenery.

Easy to Understand | Useful to Specialists

A new collector does not need to memorize Pick numbers to enjoy this product. The four notes are visibly different and can simply be collected as four different versions of Iran’s 500,000 Rials banknote.

For the specialist, however, the set also provides the individual catalogue references W153A, W154, W164, and W164A.

Therefore, the same product works at two collecting levels: visual variety for beginners and catalogue variety for experienced collectors.

A Ready-Made 500,000 Rials Comparison Set

Building the group individually means finding four specific varieties separately.

This product places them together from the beginning.

The collector can therefore add an instant four-variety run to an Iranian banknote album and compare the issues immediately after receiving them.

That convenience is one of the strongest reasons to choose the complete set rather than purchasing a single 500,000 Rials design.

This product is particularly useful for collectors who want to go deeper than a basic face-value collection.

A denomination set might contain:

500,000 → 1,000,000 → 2,000,000 Rials

This comparison set instead contains:

500,000 → 500,000 → 500,000 → 500,000 Rials

But each position is different:

W153A → W154 → W164 → W164A

Therefore, rather than expanding the collection upward in value, this set expands it within the 500,000 Rials denomination itself.

• 4 different banknotes: One W153A, one W154, one W164, and one W164A.
• Not identical copies: Each note represents a different 500,000 Rials variety.
• Visible differences: Compare designs, colors, formats, dimensions, and issue periods.
• UNC condition: All four notes are supplied in crisp collector condition.
• Multiple Iranian themes: Imam Reza Shrine, Persian ornamentation, courtyard architecture, and Mount Damavand.
• Complete comparison group: Four catalogue varieties supplied together in one convenient set.

• Sleeve individually: Store each banknote in its own acid-free and PVC-free holder.
• Keep the four varieties together: Arrange them as W153A, W154, W164, and W164A for easy comparison.
• Allow for different sizes: Use appropriately sized sleeves, particularly for the larger W153A.
• Protect UNC condition: Avoid folding and handle each note by its edges whenever possible.
• Store correctly: Keep away from prolonged sunlight, excessive humidity, heat, and pressure.

Four banknotes. One 500,000 Rials denomination. Four different varieties.

This set combines W153A, W154, W164, and W164A in UNC condition, giving collectors four different-looking Iranian banknotes with changes in design, color, format, and issue period.

Instead of receiving four identical copies, you can add four distinct versions of the 500,000 Rials banknote to your collection in a single purchase.