According to an article in the Oman Daily Observer dated 12 February 2012, the Central Bank of Oman has introduced new 5- and 10-rial notes (US$13 and $26, respectively) with upgraded security features, which will circulate in parallel with existing notes—B27 (P39) and B28 (P40)—of the same denominations. Based upon the 40th NATIONAL DAY inscription on the back of these notes, it appears they are commemoratives.

Additional information and images are requested so that this report can be confirmed.

Courtesy of Thomas Krause.

Tags: Oman

The Yemen chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$4.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 9-page catalog covers every note (64 types and varieties, including 11 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Central Bank of Yemen from 1973 to present day.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Yemen

The Democratic Republic of Yemen chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$0.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 4-page catalog covers every note (7 types and varieties, including 1 note unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Bank of Yemen from 1984 to 1988.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Democratic Republic of Yemen, Yemen

The South Arabia chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$0.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 3-page catalog covers every note (19 types and varieties, including 6 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the South Arabian Currency Authority from 1965 to 1967.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: South Arabia, Yemen

The Arab Republic of Yemen chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$0.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 4-page catalog covers every note (30 types and varieties, including 10 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Arab Republic of Yemen from 1964 to 1971.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Arab Republic of Yemen, Yemen

On 9 January 2011, the Central Bank of Oman issued a new 50-rial (US$130) note to commemorate the 40th National Day (18 November), the day Sultan Qaboos bin Said overthrew the restrictive rule of his father in 1970. It is also the sultan’s birthday.

The statement issued by CBO pointed out that this new banknote shall be in circulation as legal tender along with the existing banknotes, which shall continue to remain legal tender, and circulated side by side with these new notes. The common and security features on the front of the upgraded issue are portrait of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said with the facsimile signature of His Majesty on the lower part of the note, watermark of His Majesty portrait on the left side of the note, the national emblem (Khanjar) on top of the note, the Central Bank of Oman in Arabic on top of the note, serial numbers on right and left side of the note, denomination in Arabic on the right and left sides of the note, recognition feature for the blind and vertical security thread in the middle of the note.

The back of the note includes the Central Bank of Oman in English on top side of the note, denomination in English on right and left side of the note and the 40th National Day logo.

The security features on the front of the note represent in intaglio portrait of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, twin step window, holographic element (Main Entrance of the Central Bank of Oman), tactile feature for the blind, color-shift / color fix magnetic windowed security thread, micro lettering, three dimensional mould - made watermark portrait, perfect see through register, electrotype watermark and spark OVMI feature.

Additional information and images are requested so that this report can be confirmed.

Courtesy of Thomas Krause and Nazir Rahemtulla.

Tags: Oman

1 dinar (US$1.40), 2011. Like CBJ B29 (P34), but new date and signatures.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned on BanknoteNews.com.

Courtesy of Claudio Marana and Collect Numis Ltd.

Tags: Jordan

According to a post on the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council dated 13 December 2011, King Abdullah appointed Dr. Fahad Al-Mubarak as governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, taking over from Muhammad Al-Jaser. As the governor’s signature appears on SAMA banknotes, it’s likely that this move may mean that new signature varieties can be expected eventually.

Courtesy of Dr. Ghassan Samman.

Tags: Saudi Arabia

According to an article on Khaleej Times, on 29 November 2011, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates introduced a revised 500-dirham (US$136) note with new security features.

The new notes are like the preceding issues (CBA B24 / P24c & P32), but the holographic stripe at right front has been replaced by G&D’s varifeye thread with see-through window. Extending throughout the window is an optically-variable stripe showing the National Emblem, a falcon head and denomination value. The old windowed metallic thread on the back of the note is replaced with a broader 3-mm wide color-shifting window thread with demetalized UAE 500. The metallic ink surrounding the UAE emblem on the top portion of the obverse side is replaced by multicolor ink print. The metallic silver ink at the bottom left of the banknote is replaced by a multicolor latent image. The falcon on the reverse side of the note is made smaller, and there is no intaglio printing on the reverse side of the banknote.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun and Claudio Marana.

P.S. These notes are included in the United Arab Emirates chapter of The Banknote Book, a 12-page catalog which covers every note (71 types and varieties, including 12 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the United Arab Emirates Currency Board from 1973 to 1976, and the United Arab Emirates Central Bank from 1982 until present day. Revised 3 December 2011.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

According to an article in Alsabaah Daily, the Central Bank of Iraq is planning to issue a 50,000-dinar (US$42.77) note to facilitate transactions. It plans to restart the issue of coins too. The new issues will not affect the redenomination plans, which will take more than one year to be implemented.

The plans mentioned above were denied in an article dated 11 November 2011 on The Currency Newshound, in which an anonymous source states that the bank is actually planning to redenominate its currency by removing three zeros from the dinar.

Courtesy of Mosab K Ibrahim.

Tags: Iran

25,000 dinars (US$21.40), ٢٠١٠ - ١٤٣١ (2010/AH1431). Like P96c, but new date.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Iraq

The Jordan chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$9.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 16-page catalog covers every note (231 types and varieties, including 49 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the The Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan from 1950 to 1952; and the Central Bank of Jordan from 1965 until present day.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Jordan

Today’s challenge is to identify the items which appear on the back of the old 5-dinar notes of Jordan.

If you can precisely identify the name of these items—or have a lead which you think might be useful—please post a comment, preferably including a URL which links to evidence supporting your identification.

At left is a registration device that looks like an urn, vase, or maybe even the top of a chess piece, and at right are plants that look like cattails. These appear on the back of all 5-dinar notes from 1992 to 1997 (Pick 25 and Pick 30):

IDENTIFIED: Monastery tomb urn on top of Ed-Deir Monastery in Petra. See also this photo.
IDENTIFED: Cattails.

Courtesy of Tristan Williams and Alessio Amato.

Tags: Jordan

According to an Associated Press report dated 5 August 2011, OeBS (Oesterreichische Banknoten- und Sicherheitsdruck, Austria) is reviewing its contract to provide banknotes to the Central Bank of Syria. The Austria Press Agency reported that printing company OeBS—a subsidiary of Oesterreichischen Nationalbank, Austria’s central bank—has nearly completed the 2008 contract it has with Syria, and may pull out of the troubled country due to international pressure in the wake of the crackdown on protests against President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Tags: Austria, Syria

10,000 dinars (US$8.50), ٢٠١٠ - ١٤٣١ (2010/AH1431). Like P95, but new date.

Courtesy of Haider Saffar.

Tags: Iraq

The Qatar chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$9.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 10-page catalog covers every note (45 types and varieties, including 6 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Qatar Monetary Agency from 1973 to 1985, and the Qatar Central Bank from 1996 until present day.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Qatar

25,000 dinars (US$21.40), ٢٠١٠ - ١٤٣١ (2010/AH1431). Like P96, but new date.

Courtesy of Haider Saffar.

According to an article in the Washington Post dated 16 July 2011, the Central Bank of Iran is taking a poll to gauge the public's preferences for new names for the country’s currency, including the current rial, as well as historic names such as toman, parsi, and derik. The bank is also asking how many zeros should be removed from the currency if and when the government approves redenomination, a proposal that has been bandied about for years.

Tags: Iran

5,000 dinars (US$4.25), ٢٠١٠ - ١٤٣١ (2010/AH1431). Like P94b, but new date.

Courtesy of Haider Saffar.

Tags: Iraq

The Palestine chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$0.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 4-page catalog covers every note (40 types and varieties, including 18 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Palestine Currency Board from 1927 to 1945.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Palestine

200 new sheqalim (US$59.15), 2010. Like P62, but new date and new signature. Intro: June 2011.

In accordance with Section 42(a) of the Bank of Israel Law, new banknotes printed henceforth shall bear the facsimile signature only of the Governor (hitherto banknotes carried the facsimile signatures of the Governor and of the Chairman of the Advisory Council, which no longer exists under the new Law).

Courtesy of Andrew Quirke.

Tags: Israel

The Muscat and Oman chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$0.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 3-page catalog covers every note (18 types and varieties) issued by the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman in 1970.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Muscat and Oman

The Oman chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$9.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 12-page catalog covers every note (78 types and varieties, including 10 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Oman Currency Board in 1972, and the Central Bank of Oman from 1976 until present day.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Oman

I recommend reading this interesting article, UAE currency: a history lesson in your wallet, in the 27 June 2011 edition of The National.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

According to an article in Alsumaria, on 23 June 2011 the Central Bank of Iraq announced it is planning to delete zeros from the Iraqi dinar, and add Kurdish to the Arabic text on the notes.

Said the adviser of Iraqi Central Bank governor Mothahhar Mohammed Saleh, “The project of deleting zeroes is complete. It will be submitted to the central bank’s administration in the next session. Then, it will be passed to the ministerial council before presenting it to the Parliament for vote. The mechanisms of changing the currency will be gradual. It will be preceded by awareness campaigns for citizens. The new currency will be printed after deleting the zeros and will include the Kurdish language in addition to the Arabic language. It will bear as well photos of Iraq’s civilizations and patrimony in addition to symbols of Iraqi intellectuals and figures.”

There have been similar reports of revaluing the dinar since 2007, but to date none have come to fruition.

Courtesy of Richard Miranda.

Tags: Iraq

The Kuwait chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$9.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 12-page catalog covers every note (97 types and varieties, including 9 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Kuwait Currency Board in 1961, and the Central Bank of Kuwait from 1970 until present day.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Kuwait

The Saudi Arabia chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$9.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 11-page catalog covers every note (79 types and varieties, including 17 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency from 1953 until present day.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Saudi Arabia

The United Arab Emirates chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$9.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 11-page catalog covers every note (70 types and varieties, including 11 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the United Arab Emirates Currency Board from 1973 to 1976, and the United Arab Emirates Central Bank from 1982 until present day.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: United Arab Emirates

There’s an interesting article on Hudson New York dated 25 May 2011 discussing the implications of Palestine attempting to declare independence from Israel and issue its own currency.

Tags: Palestine, Israel

The Bahrain chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$4.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 8-page catalog covers every note (52 types and varieties, including 8 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Bahrain Currency Board in 1964, the Bahrain Monetary Agency from 1973 to 2001, and the Central Bank of Bahrain from 2006 to present day.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Bahrain

The Qatar & Dubai chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for free.

At the time of initial publication, this 3-page catalog covers every note (12 types and varieties) issued by the Qatar & Dubai Currency Board from 1966 until 1973.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Qatar & Dubai, Qatar

The Israel chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$9.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

At the time of initial publication, this 21-page catalog covers every note (153 types and varieties, including 3 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Anglo-Palestine Bank Limited from 1948, the State of Israel from 1948, Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. (Israel National Bank Ltd.) from 1952, and the Bank of Israel from 1955 until present day.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

Subscribe to The Banknote Book
If you collect the entire world or a large number of countries, buying a $99 annual subscription is the best deal because it's less expensive than buying chapters individually, and it entitles you to every chapter currently available as well as everything published—or revised (click here to see the Change Log)—during the next 12 months.



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Tags: Israel

1 riyal (US$0.25), ١٤٣٠/2009. Like P31, but new date and new signatures (Muhammad Al-Jaser and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).

Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun.

Tags: Saudi Arabia

According to an article in Tehran Times dated 7 April 2011, Mahmoud Bahmani, the governor of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said the bank has begun studying plans to remove four zeros from the rial, and will seek approval from the Monetary and Credit Council within six months. Meanwhile, the Finance and Economy Minister, Shamseddin Hosseini, recently said the bank is planning to remove three zeros from the currency within the current calendar year which started on March 21. Currently Iran’s largest banknote is the 100,000-rial note (US$9.60), although it has also issued note-like cheques in denominations ten times that amount.

Iran has been discussing revaluing the rial for years, so it’s anyone’s guess as to whether anything will come of this latest announcement.

Tags: Iran

According to a press release dated 10 March 2011, the Bank of Israel has announced that poets and scholars—specifically, Natan Alterman, Leah Goldberg, Shaul Tchernichovsky, and Rachel the Poetess—will be featured on new Israeli banknotes which will be issued over three years, starting in 2012. The bank’s choices must be approved by the government.

Additional information and images are requested so that this report can be confirmed.

Tags: Israel

According to an article on El Nashra, the Bank of Lebanon issued new 1,000-, 50,000-, and 100,000-pound (US0.65, $33, and $66, respectively) notes on 24 February 2011. The notes are signed by the bank's governor, Riad Salameh, and the first deputy governor, Raed Sharaf al-Din.



1,000 livres
Green. Front: Cedar tree; alphabetic characters. Back: Cedar tree; alphabetic characters. 3-mm wide magenta-to-green windowed security thread with demetalized BDL 1000. Watermark: Coat of arms and electrotype ١٠٠٠. Printer: (Goznak). 115 x 60 mm. Dated ٢٠١١ (2011).

1000 LBP:

• Special Reinforced Banknote Paper
• Varnishing
• One Side Intaglio
• Tactile Features. High Relief print (denomination value, inscription: Banque Du Liban, One thousand pounds, signatures of the Governor and Sub Governor, date of issue)
• Colorless Tactile Element. Colorless Embossed inscription BDL with microtext “Banque Du Liban” located in letter D. Perfect Registration between horizontal tactile lines and embossed inscription BDL, can be felt by touch.
• Mark for Blind People.
• Watermark. Represent Coat of Arms of the Lebanese Republic and the note value when note is exposed to transmitted light – Electrotype Watermark of denomination
• Security Thread. 3mm color shift security thread – Magenta to Green when note is tilted.
• Special Large Color Shifting Element on Upper right hand corner - MVC: evenly printed unified green area – changes to yellow and green rainbow lines with latent image of the cedar when note is tilted/rotated.
• Special Large Arabic color shifting Denomination in Center of the Note: changes color when banknote is tiled/rotated (MVC Chameleon).
• Under IR. Part of the Intaglio image on the obverse and offset image on the reverse of the note becomes transparent when it is observed under special IR visualization device.
• Under Magnification. Microtext. Microlettering that becomes visible only under magnifying lens (10x).

50,000 livres
Violet, blue, and light green. Front: Cedar tree; stylized boat. Back: Cedar tree; diamond guilloche pattern on wavy lines. Windowed Motion security thread. Watermark: Coat of arms and electrotype ٥٠٠٠٠. Printer: (Goznak). 140 x 77 mm. Dated ٢٠١١ (2011).

50,000 LBP

• Special Reinforced Banknote Paper.
• Varnishing
• One Side Intaglio
• Tactile Features. High Relief print (denomination value, inscription: Banque Du Liban, fifty thousand pounds, signatures of the Governor and Sub Governor, date of issue)
• Colorless Tactile Element. Colorless Embossed inscription BDL with microtext “Banque Du Liban” located in letter D. Perfect Registration between horizontal tactile lines and embossed inscription BDL, can be felt by touch.
• Mark for Blind People.
• Watermark. Represent Coat of Arms of the Lebanese Republic and the note value when note is exposed to transmitted light - Electrotype Watermark of denomination
• Security Thread. Wide security micro-optic based security thread - Motion. Inscription LL in Arabic moves when note is tilted.
• Special Large Color Shifting Element on Upper right hand corner - MVC: evenly printed unified blue area – changes to yellow and blue rainbow lines with latent image of the cedar when note is tilted/rotated.
• Special Large Arabic color shifting Denomination in Center of the Note: changes color when banknote is tiled/rotated (MVC Chameleon).
• Under IR. Part of the Intaglio image on the obverse and offset image on the reverse of the note becomes transparent when it is observed under special IR visualization device.
• Under Magnification. Microtext. Microlettering that becomes visible only under magnifying lens (10x).

100,000 livres
Light green, light blue, and yellow. Front: Cedar tree. Back: Cedar tree; stylized grapes, wheat, and spool of thread. Windowed Motion security thread. Watermark: Coat of arms and electrotype ١٠٠٠٠٠. Printer: (Goznak). 147 x 82 mm. Dated ٢٠١١ (2011).

100,000 LBP

• Special Reinforced Banknote Paper.
• Varnishing
• One Side Intaglio
• Tactile Features. High Relief print (denomination value, inscription: Banque Du Liban, One Hundred thousand pounds, signatures of the Governor and Sub Governor, date of issue)
• Colorless Tactile Element. Colorless Embossed inscription BDL with microtext “Banque Du Liban” located in letter D. Perfect Registration between horizontal tactile lines and embossed inscription BDL, can be felt by touch.
• Mark for Blind People.
• Watermark. Represent Coat of Arms of the Lebanese Republic and the note value when note is exposed to transmitted light - Electrotype Watermark of denomination
• Security Thread. Wide security micro-optic based security thread - Motion. Inscription LL in Arabic moves when note is tilted.
• Demetallized Holographic Stripe with various visual effects
• Special Large Color Shifting Element on Upper right hand corner – MVC - evenly printed unified greenish area – changes to yellow and Green rainbow lines with latent image of the cedar when note is tilted/rotated.
• Special Large Arabic color shifting Denomination in Center of the Note: changes color when banknote is tiled/rotated (MVC Chameleon).
• Under IR. Part of the Intaglio image on the obverse and offset image on the reverse of the note becomes transparent when it is observed under special IR visualization device.
• Under Magnification. Microtext. Microlettering that becomes visible only under magnifying lens (10x).

Courtesy of Hussein Guevera and Jad Dagher.

Tags: Lebanon

500 rials (US$0.05), no date. Introduced 1999. Like P137A, but signature 28 (Moshen Nourbakhsh and Hossein Namazi), and text on back reads “CENTRAL BANK OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN” instead of “ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN BANK MARKAZI IRAN.”

Courtesy of Bill Stubkjaer.

Tags: Iran

1/2 dinar (US$1.80), L .1968. Like Pick 24, but new signature 14 (Salem Abdul Aziz Sa’ud al-Sabah and Mustafa Jassim Al-Shamali).

Courtesy of Bill Stubkjaer.

Tags: Kuwait

According to a press release dated 19 December 2010, “The Governor of the Bank of Israel, Professor Stanley Fischer, has informed the Committee for the Planning of Banknotes, Coins and Commemorative Coins, headed by Judge Yaacov Turkel, that he has chosen four personalities [Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, Shai (Shmuel Yosef) Agnon, and Rachel the Poetess]––to be submitted for government approval––to appear on the planned new series of banknotes.
After a long process of consultation and discussions between the Committee and the Governor, the Governor decided to incorporate two aspects of Israel's history, the political and the cultural, by depicting two politicians who signed peace agreements with Israel's neighbors, and two outstanding people in the fields of literature and poetry.
The Governor said that it was of historical importance, in particular for future generations, to denote the leaders of the nation, and the characters chosen convey an important lesson in Israel's heritage. The Governor thanked the members of the Committee, chaired by Judge Turkel, for the time they devoted to this matter and for their recommendations.
The Bank plans to launch the new series of banknotes in 2012 in denominations of 20, 50, 100 and 200 shekel. The new banknotes will incorporate state-of-the-art security and identification features among the anti-counterfeiting measures.”

Courtesy of Bryce W. Denham.

Tags: Israel

5 riyals (US$1.35), 2009. Like P32, but new date and new signatures (Muhammad Al-Jaser and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).

Courtesy of Dr. Ghassan Samman.

Tags: Saudi Arabia

5 dinars (US$7.05), 2010 ٢٠١٠. Like P35 but new date and new signature combination (Mohammad Abu Hammour and Umayya Salah Toukan). These two had signed together years ago, so either they’ve been reappointed to their old posts, or the printer made a mistake.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Armen Hovsepian.

Tags: Jordan

B32 (PNL): 5 dirhams (US$1.35)
Brown. Front: Blue Souk in Sharjah; coat of arms. Back: Sparrow-hawk; Bay of Khorfakkan in Fujairah; tower. Solid security thread with demetalized UAE 5. Watermark: Sparrow-hawk head. Printer: Unknown. 143 x 60 mm. 2009 and ١٤٣٠ (AH1430). Signature 4.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ricardo Castedo.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

B44 (PNL): 20 rials (US$52)
Blue, yellow, and purple. Front: Coat of arms with crossed swords and khanjar (dagger); Grand Mosque; Sultan Qaboos bin Said; main entrance of the CBO headquarters. Back: Royal Opera House building; 40th National Day logo; coat of arms. varifeye thread and windowed security thread with demetalized 20 RIALS. Watermark: Sultan and electrotype 20. Printer: (G&D). 167 x 76 mm. 1431 H / 2010 G. Signature 4. Intro: 22.11.2010.

Courtesy of Kai Hwong and Thomas Augustsson.

Tags: Oman

I’m working on the Iranian chapter of my new catalog and have come across this interesting engraving on the front of Pick 30, the 1,000-rial note of 1934. The image—described in SCWPM as “warrior killing fabulous creature”—also appears on the date stamps of subsequent issues. I suspect it depicts some Persian legend or myth. If anyone can direct me towards a full explanation, hopefully identifying the warrior and/or creature by name, I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

Tags: Iran

On 25 November 2010, the Central Bank of Jordan announced it has a new governor. Faris Sharaf, who replaces Dr. Umayya Toukan. As a result, we may expect to see new signature varieties issued shortly.

Courtesy of Mahdi Bseiso.

Tags: Jordan

1/2 dinar (US$1.30), ١٩٧٣ (1973). Like P18a (top), but the security thread has six, not five, “windows” that are 4.0-mm long, not 5.5-mm long. Also, the prefix font is different.

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.


For more information, see the Bahrain chapter of The Banknote Book.

Tags: Bahrain

10 dirhams (US$2.70), 2009. Like P27, but with a new coat of arms on front and new signatures (Sheikh Hamad bin Rashid al Maktoum and Khalil Foulazi).

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

50 riyals (US$13.33), 2009. Like P35, but new date and new Governor signature (Muhammad Al-Jaser). Also, the denomination expressed in Arabic in the bars at left and right edge of the front of the note has been slightly modified. In the first issue of this note, the trailing zero was so small that it blended in with the tiny boxes in the background (above, left), but the new variety has a larger zero which stands out better (above, right).

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn.

Tags: Saudi Arabia

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Lebanon:

P1-P12F
P13A-P14
P17-P24
P28-P33
P39

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Lebanon

The Central Bank of Yemen introduced a new 1,000-rial note that is similar to the 2004-dated note (P33), but dated 2009 and with improved security features, including the replacement of the holographic stripe on front for Goznak’s Visual Formed Image security thread previously introduced on the 250-rial note of 2009.


1,000 rials (US$4.65)
Yellow and green. Front: Sultan’s palace in Seiyun, Hadramaut. Back: Bab al Yemen (main gate of Sana’a). Holographic security thread with demetalized ١٠٠٠. Watermark: Coat of arms and electrotype ١٠٠٠. Printer: (Goznak). 156 x 83 mm. ٢٠٠٩/١٤٣٠ (2009/AH1430). Signature 10. Intro: August 2010.

Courtesy of Manuel Rui Palhares.

Tags: Yemen

The National Interest has an article dated 17 September 2010 that summarizes a new subscriber-only article in The Monacle in which Chairman Jihadal-Wazir reveals the Palestine Monetary Authority is planning to introduce its own currency, the Palestinian pound, perhaps in 2011.

Tags: Palestine

100 riyals (US$26.65), Like P36, but new date (١٤٣٠/2009) and signatures (Muhammad Al-Jaser and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).

As of today, only the 1-, 5-, and 10-riyal denominations remain unconfirmed with the new date and signature; the three highest denominations have been confirmed.

Courtesy of Dr. Ghassan Samman.

Tags: Saudi Arabia

500 riyals (US$133.30), 2009. Like P38, but new date (١٤٣٠/2009) and signatures (Muhammad Al-Jaser and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Assaf).

Courtesy of Ghassan Samman.

Tags: Saudi Arabia

20 dirhams (US$5.40), 2009. Like P21, but new date, new signatures, and new coat of arms.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Amirali Somji.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

Like P70, P73, and P74, respectively, but repositioned holographic stripes, windowed threads, and registration devices. Also new dates ١٢٨٧ (SH1387/2008) and signatures. Finally, these notes have Cornerstone watermarks, indicating they were printed by TDLR, not G&D as were the preceding issues.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Afghanistan

50 pounds (US$1.05), 2009.
Blue and tan. Front: Ancient writing on clay tablets from Ebla. Back: Library of Hafiz Al Assad in Damascus; statue of Hafiz Al Assad. Windowed security thread with demetalized CBS 50. Watermark: Horse head and electrotype 50. Printer: Unknown. 135 x 65 mm.


100 pounds (US$2.15), 2009.
Red and tan. Front: Ancient Roman theater and archway of main gate at Bosra. Back: Safe from Umayyad Mosque in Damascus; Central Bank of Syria headquarters building; ancient coin. Windowed security thread with demetalized CBS 100. Watermark: Horse head and electrotype 100. Printer: Unknown. 140 x 65 mm.


200 pounds (US$4.30), 2009.
Tan and green. Front: Norias (waterwheels) of Hama on the Orontes River. Back: Ceiling of Temple Bel in Palmyra. Windowed security thread with demetalized CBS 200. Watermark: Horse head and electrotype 200. Printer: Unknown. 145 x 65 mm.

These three notes were issued on 27 July 2010 and are dated 2009. They are signed by Adib Mayaleh, Governor and Mohammad Naji Al-Otri, Minister of Economy.

Anyone interested in buying these notes in wholesale quantities can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun.

Tags: Syria

According to a Bloomberg BusinessWeek article dated 16 June 2010, the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a new 100,000-rial (US$10) note on 22 June. Governor Mahmoud Bahmani said the bank will print at least 150 million of the new notes, though he promised it won’t increase the inflation rate (currently around 10 percent). The new banknotes will reduce the need for cheques (banknote-like documents available in denominations of half- and one-million rials) that Iranians buy from banks to use in large transactions. Cheques are transferred between individuals in the same way as cash, but are canceled when presented at banks for deposit.

Green. Front: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Back: Lines from Gulistan (The Rose Garden), a poem by Saadi; trees and Saadi’s tomb in Shiraz. Solid security thread with printed Arabic text and windowed security thread with demetalized 100000. Watermark: Ruhollah Khomeini and electrotype 100000. Printer: Unknown. 166 x 79 mm. No date. Signature unknown. Intro: 22.06.2010.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Saeed Abdullah, Abdullah Beydoun, and Armen Hovsepian.

Tags: Iran

According to a Washington Post article dated 31 May 2010, Palestine is preparing to issue its own currency to replace the Israeli shekel and the Jordanian dinar.

Courtesy of Webb Linzmayer.

Tags: Palestine, Israel, Jordan

25,000 dinars (US$21.40), ٢٠٠٨ - ١٤٢٩ (2008/AH1429). Like Pick 96, but new date.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Iraq

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Iraq:

Pick A22

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Iraq

5,000 rials (US$0.50), no date. Like Pick 145, but new signature (Ebrahim Sheibani and Danesh Jafari). Intro: March 2010.

Courtesy of Ali Nasseri.

Tags: Iran

50,000 rials (US$5.05), no date. Like Pick 149, but new signature (Mazaheri and Hosseini). Intro: March 2010.

Courtesy of Ali Nasseri and Aminoroaaya.

Tags: Iran

1,000 rials (US$0.10), no date. Like Pick 143, but new signature (Mazaheri and Danesh Jafari). Intro: March 2010.

Courtesy of Ali Nasseri and Aminoroaaya.

Tags: Iran

20 dinars (US$28.25). Like Pick 37, but new date (AH 1430 / 2009) and new signatures (Mohammad Abo Hamoor and Ummaya Toukan).

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun.

Tags: Jordan

1 dinar (US$1.40). Like Pick 34, but new date (AH 1430 / 2009) and new signatures (Mohammad Abo Hamoor and Ummaya Toukan).

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun.

Tags: Jordan

1,000,000 rials (US$101.15), no date. Introduced 2010. Like million-rial cheque issued by the Central Bank of Iran in 2008, but new color scheme and signatures.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ricardo Castedo.

Tags: Iran

According to a PressTV article dated 23 March 2010, “The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) will issue new 100,000-rial [US$10.11] banknotes within four months, says CBI Head Mahmoud Bahmani. ‘We have ordered 100,000-rial banknotes to be printed and people will get these notes within four months,’ said Bahmani on Monday, IRNA reported. Last week, the CBI announced that the bank plans to print 100,000-rial banknotes in the current Iranian year, which started on March 21. CBI Deputy Head Hamid Pourmohammadi says the decision was part of the bank's plan to slash three zeros off Iran's national currency. The head of Iran's Bank Tejarat, Majid-Reza Davari, said the decision was part of CBI's “monetary reform plan,” but analysts say rising inflation has led the government to issue high value banknotes, Fars News Agency reported.”

Tags: Iran

2000 rials (US$0.20), no date. Like Pick 144, but new signature.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Iran

All denominations of Kuwaiti notes with the exception of the 1/2 dinar and 10 dinar have now been confirmed with the new signature combination of Salem Abdul Aziz Sa’ud al-Sabah, Governor and Mustafa Jassim Al-Shamali, Minister of Finance.

Anyone interested in buying one of these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Rafal Nogowczyk.

Tags: Kuwait

50 dinars (US$70.50). Like Pick 38, but new date (AH 1430 / 2009) and new signatures (Mohammad Abo Hamoor and Ummaya Toukan).

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun.

Tags: Jordan

200 dirhams (US$54.45).
Like Pick 31, but new date (2008), new signatures (Sheikh Hamad bin Rashid al Maktoum and Khalil Foulazi), and new coat of arms.

The new date, signatures, and coat of arms has now been confirmed on the 100-, 200-, and 1,000-dirham notes. If any of the other denominations have been issued, please send scans of same. Thanks!

Courtesy of Amirali Somji.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Israel:

Pick 5
Pick 18

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Israel

According to a report on Radio Free Iraq dated 6 February 2010, the Central Bank of Iraq “is planning to redenominate the national currency in an effort to ease transactions and allow people to carry less paper money. Mudhhir Muhammad Salih, a member of a Central Bank advisory panel, told RFI that a plan has been made to remove three zeros from the currency and phase out the current banknotes late this year. Salih said by the end of 2010 the new banknotes will be fully introduced while the old banknotes will be gradually removed from circulation. He did not specify when the new notes would be issued. Both will be legal tender in Iraq until the old notes are completely withdrawn.”

Tags: Iraq

According to sources in country, the Central Bank of Jordan has issued a 20-dinar note dated AH 1430 / 2009 and with new signatures (Mohammad Abo Hamoor and Ummaya Toukan).

Additional information and images are requested.

Courtesy of Mahdi Bseiso.

Tags: Jordan

According to a Gulf News article dated 16 December 2009, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders concluded their annual two-day summit with an agreement to form a monetary union, paving the way for a single currency for Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia; Oman and the United Arab Emirates opted out. A monetary council is to be established in early 2010, and will transition into a central bank, which will eventually issue a single currency, though no timeline was announced.

Courtesy of Amirali Somji.

Tags: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates

According to an article on Haaretz.com, over the next two years the Bank of Israel will issue new banknotes featuring portraits of Zionist visionary Theodor Herzl and three former prime ministers: David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, and Yitzhak Rabin. The bank has decided against issuing a proposed NIS 500 (US$132) denomination.

The bank’s experiment with a NIS 20 (US$5.25) note printed on polymer is considered a success, so it’s possible the new notes will also be printed on polymer, though a decision on the substrate has not been announced. "With the new set of bills, the bank will be at the forefront of the technological stage on all matters related to the war against counterfeiting," the Bank of Israel said. "The security measures will be friendly to the public so that it will be possible, with relative ease, to spot counterfeit money."

Tags: Israel, Polymer

The Central Bank of Yemen introduced a new 250-rial (US$1.20) note on 14 November 2009 with the following specifications:

General and Technical Specifications:
A- The size is 158 mm x 75 mm.
B - There is a water mark depicting the coat of arms of the Republic of Yemen located on the right hand side of the face of the banknote.
C- The YR 250 banknote has many features and elements enabling easy detection of its authenticity. They include:
1. The script is prominently printed on the banknote (intaglio) , giving it a distinctive roughness to the touch. The banknote shows the denomination value, the name of the Central Bank of Yemen and the signature of the Bank Governor.
2. There is a star at the bottom of the face of the banknote, half of which is brown while the other half is white.
3. The dome of the mosque appears in a uniform pink color when looking at the banknote directly. But if the banknote is slightly tilted, the color of the background of the dome changes into the colors of a rainbow and shows the denomination value.
4. When light is shed on the back of the banknote the thread stripe changes from a winding zigzagging silver form into dark straight broad black filament and the denomination value appears in white bright color all along the filament.
5. There are modern methods of detecting the authenticity of the banknote, such as by using counting and sorting machines or when the banknote is exposed to ultra violet rays.

Specifications of the Face of the Banknote:
A. A general view of Al-Saleh mosque with its name written at the bottom of the picture.
B. The phrase " Central Bank of Yemen" printed at the top center of the banknote, followed by "Central Bank of Yemen" then "Signature" above the word "Governor".
C. The denomination value is prominently printed in Arabic numbers at the bottom right hand side of the banknote. On the top right hand side of the banknote there are Islamic geometrical designs.
D. Letter-Press printing of the serial numbers printed in red ink at the top right hand side of the paper and in black ink at the bottom left hand side of the banknote.
E. Date of printing 1430 H - 2009 in Arabic.

Specifications of the back of the banknote:
A. A picture of the Mukalla Khor with its name depicted at the bottom of the Khor.
B. The name of the Central Bank of Yemen in English at the top center of the banknote.
C. Printing of the value of the denomination (250) in Arabic numbers at the top left hand side of the banknote and the bottom right hand side of the banknote.
D. Decorative Islamic geometric designs.
E. The back of the banknote contains several advanced security features some of them can be easily recognized by the man in the street, but others can only be detected by counting and sorting machines or when exposed to ultraviolet rays.

Courtesy of Richard Miranda, Hamdy Alsamt, and Luca Maria Peri.

Tags: Yemen

According to a GulfNew.com article dated 13.12.2009, the Central Bank of the UAE has announced it has begun building a security press to print banknotes. The plant is being built on a plot of land near the Central Bank building complex in Abu Dhabi. The plant will print all denominations of UAE dinar notes and will have excess capacity for future expansion and printing of notes for other countries in the region.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

10,000 livres (US$6.70). Like Pick 86, but new date (2008).

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares.

Tags: Lebanon

5,000 livres (US$3.35). Like Pick 85, but new date (2008).

Anyone interested in buying these notes can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw them mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Banknoteshop.

Tags: Lebanon

50 dinars (US$70.50). Like Pick 38, but new date (2008) and new signatures.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ricardo Castedo.

Tags: Jordan

1,000 dirhams (US$272). Like Pick 33, but new date (2008), new signatures (Sheikh Hamad bin Rashid al Maktoum and Khalil Foulazi), and new coat of arms (old arms with dhow; new arms with flag).

Brown. Front: Fort at Abu Dhabi; coat of arms. Back: Sparrow-hawk; Abu Dhabi skyline with Corniche. Windowed security thread with demetalized UAE 1000. Holographic stripe with denomination. Watermark: Sparrow-hawk head with electrotype 1000 and coffee pot. Printer: Unknown. 163 x 70 mm.

To date it appears only the 100- and 1,000-dirham notes have have been updated with the new coat of arms (other denominations have been issued dated 2008, but they still have the old coat of arms). Please share scans if you have other notes with the new coat of arms.

Courtesy of David Murcek.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

20,000 rials (US$2).
Front like Pick 148, but with new signature combination of Bahmani and Hosseini. Back now depicts Masjid-ul Aqsa (Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa) in Jerusalem.

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares, Abdullah Beydoun, and Omer Yalcinkaya.

Tags: Iran

2,000 rials (US$0.20). Like Pick 144, but new signatures.

I originally reported the signature combo as Mazaheri - Bahmani, basing my info on the signature table at Peter Symes’ excellent site, Islamicbanknotes.com. However, I have recently been contacted by Ali Nasseri who says:

The Islamicbanknotes.com has the signature of Hosseini - Bahmani that is correct, but has a mistake too!

Hosseini - Bahmani notes (2000, 5000, 20000 and 50000 Rials) put into circulation after "Danseh Jafari - Mazaheri - Sign 34" notes (2000, 20000 and 50000) and everybody has thought that they are sign 35, even me.

But, because Mr. Mazaheri was the preident of CBI, few month after Mr. Hosseini and before Mr. Bahmani, so the new 2000 Rls is printed before of all "Hosseini - Bahmani" notes (2000, 5000, 20000 and 50000 Rials), so, the new signature "Hosseini - Mazaheri" is printed former than "Hosseini - Bahmani".

I should tell frankly that the previous numeration is mistake and most rewrite according below:
Signature 34: "Danseh Jafari - Mazaheri" (As previous)
Signature 35: "Hosseini - Mazaheri" (new claim)
Signature 36: "Hosseini - Bahmani" (incorrect sign. 35)

Plus, you mentioned "Mazaheri - Bahmani" in your website. Those are both CBI's presidents. Where is the minister of finance's signature??? It is imposible that both of signatures belong to Central Bank presidents.

I corrected the signatures list and you can see them here.

Courtesy of Rui Manuel Palhares and Ali Nasseri.

Tags: Iran

500 dirhams (US136), 2008. Like Pick 32, but new date.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Sejin Ahn and Ricardo Castedo.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

1,000 livres (US$0.65). Like Pick 84, but new date (2008).
 
Courtesy of Rui Palhares.

Tags: Lebanon

On 19 July 2009, the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran introduced a new 5,000-rial (US$0.50) banknote with images of Omid, Iran’s first domestically-produced research and telecommunications satellite, which was launched into space on February 3. "In order to commemorate its achievements in space sciences the government has given permission to the central bank to use pictures of the Omid satellite and its rocket launcher on both banknotes and coins," the Abrar newspaper said.

The new undated note measures 154 x 75 mm and features a portrait of Imam Khomeini on front and the Omid satellite and earth on back. The watermark is of Khomeini, with a 0.5-mm wide windowed security thread with demetalized denomination in Persian and Latin.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of Ali Nasseri.

Tags: Iran

100 dirhams (US$27.20), 2008. Like Pick 30, but new date and new signatures.

Courtesy of Peter Symes.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

10 dinars (US$14.10), 2007. Like Pick 36, but new date.

Courtesy of Michael Reissner.

Tags: Jordan

Recently a new variety of the 1,000-pound (US$21.40) note, Pick 111a (top), have been confirmed. The new variety (bottom), has a small map in circle added to back, below “CENTRAL BANK OF SYRIA.” Both notes are dated 1997.

Courtesy of Besher Ghannam.

Tags: Syria

Recently two new varieties of the 500-pound (US$10.70) note, Pick 110a (top), have been confirmed. The first variety (middle), has a small map in circle added to back, below “CENTRAL BANK OF SYRIA.” The second variety (bottom), has the small map, plus a row of leaves added at center bottom, above “FIVE HUNDRED SYRIAN POUNDS,” and the denomination numerals at lower right. All three notes are dated 1998.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net and Besher Ghannam.

Tags: Syria

I am working on a new catalog of world notes and I need all the help I can get. If you have any of the notes listed below, please email 300-dpi, 100% actual size, 24-bit color scans of the front and back of these notes, saved as uncompressed JPEG, BMP, or TIFF. Please download and follow these detailed scanning instructions.

I am looking for 300-dpi images of the following banknotes of Kuwait:

Pick 21 signature 8
Pick 27 signature 10 and 11
Pick 28 signature 9 and 10
all specimens

As a contributor, you will receive the satisfaction of taking part in creating something of excellence, your note will be immortalized as the plate note for the catalog, plus your name will appear in the Acknowledgements along with your email address or URL, if you wish.

Thanks in advance for everyone's cooperation!

Tags: Kuwait

1 dinar (US$1.40), 2008/1429H. Like P34, but new date, new signatures, and change to the Arabic characters at top left on front (see details below).


Detail from 1-dinar dated 2005.


Detail from 1-dinar dated 2008.


5 dinars (US$7.05), 2008/1429H. Like P35, but new date, new signatures, and change to the Arabic characters at top left on front.

Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun.

Tags: Jordan

50 dirhams (US$13.60), 2008. Like P27, but new date.

Courtesy of Michael Reissner.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

According to a Gulf Times article dated February 25, 2009, Qatar’s 100- and 500-rial notes originally issued in 2003 (Pick 24 and 25, respectively) can be exchanged for new notes at all banks through June 15; for ten years afterwards they can be redeemed only at the Qatar Central Bank. The old notes are being withdrawn in favor of the new versions of these denominations which were issued in 2007 with wide Optiks security threads.

Tags: Qatar

20 dirhams (US$5.40), 2007. Like P21, but new date.

Courtesy of Rafal Nogowczyk.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

Like P144, but new signature.

2,000 rials (US$0.20)
Pink and dark yellow. Front: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Back: Ka’aba at the Holy Mosque in Mecca. Microprinted solid security thread. Watermark: Khomeini. 150 x 72 mm. No date. Signature: Davood Danesh Djafari and Tahmasb Mazaheri. Introduced 25.09.2008.

Courtesy of Ali Nasseri.

Tags: Iran

5 dirhams (US$1.35), 2007. Like P19, but new date.


10 dirhams (US$2.70), 2007. Like P20, but new date.

Courtesy of David Murcek.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

In August 2008, the central bank issued new cheques, which it claims are not banknotes although they are legal tender just as if they were. They were introduced to replace the array of high-denomination promissory notes which private banks had been issuing to enable their customers to carry out large transactions and which are now banned as the central bank has moved to reassert control over the money supply.


500,000 rials (US$51.90)
Dark pink and brown. Front: Main gate of Imam Reza Holy Shrine in Mashhad. Back: Calligraphic text; Islamic design of flower. 2.5-mm microprinted windowed security thread. Watermark: Hakim Aboul-ghasem Ferdowsi. 160 x 75 mm. No date (2008). Signature: CBI president, Mr. Tahmasb Mazaheri. Introduced 16.08.2008.


1,000,000 rials (US$104)
Light blue and light brown. Front: Tachar Palace-Perspolis ruins in Shiraz. Back: Calligraphic text; Islamic design of flower. 2.5-mm microprinted windowed security thread. Watermark: Hakim Aboul-ghasem Ferdowsi with electrotype denomination. 160 x 75 mm. No date (2008). Signature: CBI president, Mr. Tahmasb Mazaheri. Introduced 23.08.2008.

Courtesy of Ali Nasseri.

Tags: Iran

On September 15, 2008, the Qatar Central Bank issued a new series of four notes—1, 5, 10, and 50 riyals—which have symbols along the left front edge that facilitate their use by the visually handicapped. Preceding note issues of the same denominations will remain legal tender, but will be gradually replaced by the new series. New 100- and 500-riyal notes are in the works, but details aren’t available. These denominations were upgraded in 2007 with the addition of the 18-mm wide Optiks security thread with see-through window, so bank officials did not feel the need to update them at this time.



1 riyal (US$0.30)
Blue and purple. Front: Coat of arms with dhow, palm trees, and crossed swords. Back: Three native birds: crested lark, Eurasian bee eater, and lesser sand plover. Solid and windowed security threads. Watermark: Falcon head and electrotype denomination. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 134 x 66 mm. No date. Signatures: Abdullah Saud Al-Thani (Governor) and Yousef Hussein Kamal (Minister of Finance). Introduced 15.09.2008.



5 riyals (US$1.40)
Green. Front: Coat of arms with dhow, palm trees, and crossed swords. Back: National Museum building; oryx and camel. Solid and windowed security threads. Watermark: Falcon head and electrotype denomination. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 140 x 67.5 mm. No date. Signatures: Abdullah Saud Al-Thani (Governor) and Yousef Hussein Kamal (Minister of Finance). Introduced 15.09.2008.



10 riyals (US$2.75)
Green. Front: Coat of arms with dhow, palm trees, and crossed swords. Back: Dhow; sand dune at Khor al-Udeid. Solid and windowed security threads. Watermark: Falcon head and electrotype denomination. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 146 x 69 mm. No date. Signatures: Abdullah Saud Al-Thani (Governor) and Yousef Hussein Kamal (Minister of Finance). Introduced 15.09.2008.



50 riyals (US$13.75)
Green. Front: Coat of arms with dhow, palm trees, and crossed swords. Back: Qatar Central Bank building; Oyster and Pearl monument. Holographic stripe. Windowed security thread. Watermark: Falcon head and electrotype denomination. Printer: TDLR (w/o imprint). 152 x 70.5 mm. No date. Signatures: Abdullah Saud Al-Thani (Governor) and Yousef Hussein Kamal (Minister of Finance). Introduced 15.09.2008.

Courtesy of Mirsad Delic.

Tags: Qatar

200 dirhams (US$54.45), 2004. Introduced 27.05.2008. Tan. Front: Sharia Court Department and Zayed Sports City. Back: Bank headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Fluorescent vertical serial number, falcon head as registration device, falcon head watermark with denomination numerals and coffee pot as electrotype, national emblem in metallic print, intaglio printing, denomination as latent image, holographic stripe, and windowed security thread with UAE 200 repeating.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

All of the new notes measure 154 x 74 mm and are presumably printed by De La Rue (based upon their inclusion of StarChrome security threads and an unique screen trap pattern on the back). All of the notes have the following security features: King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa as watermark with electrotype denomination, intaglio printing, windowed green-to-red StarChrome security thread with CBB repeating, gold iridescent stripe with denomination in Arabic and English, registration device, denomination as latent image, CENTRALBANKOFBAHRAIN microprinting, novel serial number fluoresces under UV light. Additionally, the 5-, 10-, and 20-dinar notes also include a hologram on the front.

In addition to the security features, the new banknotes also incorporate, for the first time, a feature to enable the visually-impaired to easily recognize the value of each note. The feature—which has erroneously been called braille by some media outlets—comprises a series of short, raised lines, which appear at the top right on the front face of the note. The BD1/2 has one line; BD1 has two lines and so on, up to BD20, with five lines.


1/2 dinar (US$1.30), ٢٠٠٦ (2006). Issued March 17, 2008. Orange and brown. Front: Old Bahrain Court. Back: Bahrain International Circuit (motorsport facility) in Sakhir. Windowed green-to-red StarChrome security thread with demetalized CBB. Watermark: King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa with electrotype HALF. Printer: (TDLR). 154 x 74 mm.


1 dinar (US$2.65), ٢٠٠٦ (2006). Issued March 17, 2008. Red. Front: Al Hedaya Al Khalifiya school building (Bahrain’s first school). Back: Sail monument in Manama City; five galloping Arabian horses. Windowed green-to-red StarChrome security thread with demetalized CBB. Watermark: King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa with electrotype ONE. Printer: (TDLR). 154 x 74 mm.


5 dinars (US$13.25), ٢٠٠٦ (2006). Issued March 17, 2008. Blue. Shaikh Isa House in Muharraq; Riffa Fort. Back: Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) smelter building; first oil well in Bahrain near Jebel Dukhan mountain. Windowed green-to-red StarChrome security thread with demetalized CBB. Watermark: King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa with electrotype FIVE. Printer: (TDLR). 154 x 74 mm.


10 dinars (US$26.50), ٢٠٠٦ (2006). Issued March 17, 2008. Green. King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa. Back: Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Causeway bridge. Windowed green-to-red StarChrome security thread with demetalized CBB. Watermark: King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa as with electrotype TEN. Printer: (TDLR). 154 x 74 mm.


20 dinars (US$53.05), ٢٠٠٦ (2006). Issued March 17, 2008. Brown and light blue. Front: King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa. Back: Al Fateh Islamic Center in Juffair. Windowed green-to-red StarChrome security thread with demetalized CBB. Watermark: King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa with electrotype TWENTY. Printer: (TDLR). 154 x 74 mm.


For more information, see the Bahrain chapter of The Banknote Book.

Tags: Bahrain

50,000 rials (US$5.40), ND (2007). Like the IRR50,000 reported in IBNS Journal 46.1p21, but new signatures (Mazaheri and Danesh Jafari).

Courtesy of Armen Hovsepian (www.armenstamp.com).

Tags: Iran

1 dinar (US$1.40), AH1427/2006. Like P34, but new date and new signatures.

5 dinars (US$7.05), AH1427/2006. Like P35, but new date and new signatures.

20 dinars (US$28.25), AH1427/2006. Like P37, but new date and new signatures.

50 dinars (US$70.65), AH1428/2007. Like P38, but new date and new signatures.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Jordan

100 riyals (US$27.50), ND (2007). Issued September 26, 2007. Like P24, but new signatures (Abdullah Saud Al-Thani; Yousef Hussein Kamal) and Optiks instead of windowed security thread. Images on back shifted to make room for Optiks. Printer: De La Rue (without imprint).

Courtesy of Ronny Hick.

Tags: Qatar

500 riyals (US$137.40), ND (2007). Issued September 26, 2007. Like P25, but new signatures (Abdullah Saud Al-Thani; Yousef Hussein Kamal) and Optiks instead of windowed security thread. Images on back shifted to make room for Optiks. Printer: De La Rue (without imprint).

Courtesy of Jamal A. Alrefai.

Tags: Qatar

According to the Bank of Israel’s annual report released on October 7, 2007, “To improve the life of the NIS 20 [US$4.95] banknote, the Currency Department released an improved banknote in 2006 printed on higher quality paper with additional coating. As part of this improved quality, the Currency Department will be issuing the next issue of NIS 20 notes based on polypropylene, a polymer which is becoming more popular in many countries due to its durability.” On September 23, 2007, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the bank is planning a trial run of 20 million NIS in polymer notes beginning in February 2008.

The bank’s annual report also stated, “In 2006 the Currency Department began planning a new banknote issue series, which includes many aspects, including changing the banknote design, improved security features and quality of banknote paper. The new series is planned to be issued in the next 4-5 years.”

Tags: Israel, Polymer

100 new sheqalim (US$24.40), 2007. Like SCWPM 61, but new date and new signatures (Stanley Fisher, Governor; Aharon Fogel, Chairman).

Courtesy of Raphael Dabbah.

Tags: Israel

On September 11, 2007, Iran’s central bank governor, Tahmasb Mazaheri, admitted that the bank is examining a proposal to knock three zeros off the rial to increase economic confidence and reduce the number of banknotes necessary to conduct cash transactions. Since the Islamic revolution of 1979, the exchange rate of the rial has gone from 70 rials to the dollar to 9,300 rials today. Iran’s largest denomination, the 50,000-rial note, was issued on March 12, 2007, and is worth approximately US$5.40.

Tags: Iran

With today’s release of the SAR 50 and 100, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency has begun circulating its 5th Issue of notes. The new SAR 5 and 10 will appear at the beginning of July, followed by the SAR 500 in September, and ending with the SAR 1 in December.


1 riyal (US$0.25), 2007. Issued December 31, 2007. Light green. Front: Front of first Islamic dinar coin; King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Back: SAMA headquarters building. Windowed security thread with demetalized SAMA 1. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 1, and Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 133 x 63 mm.


5 riyals (US$1.35), 2007. Issued July 2007. Violet. Front: Ras Tanorah oil refinery; King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Back: Jubayl Port in eastern region. Windowed security thread with demetalized SAMA 5. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 5, and Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 145 x 66 mm.


10 riyals (US$2.65), 2007. Issued July 2007. Brown. Front: King Abdulaziz’s palace in Almoraba area; King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Back: King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh with palm trees. Windowed security thread with demetalized SAMA 10. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 10, and Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 150 x 68 mm.


50 riyals (US$13.35), 2007. Issued May 21, 2007. Dark green. Front: Al Sakhra Dome mosque; King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Back: Al Aqsa mosque in Al Quds Al Shareef (Jerusalem). Holgraphic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 50 and Arabic text between wavy lines. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 50, and Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 155 x 70 mm.


100 riyals (US$26.65), 2007. Issued May 21, 2007. Red. Front: Green Dome of The Qiba Mosque (Prophet’s Mosque); King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Back: The Qiba Mosque (Prophet’s Mosque) in Al Madinah Al Monawarah. Holgraphic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 100 and Arabic text between wavy lines. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 100, and Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 160 x 72 mm.


500 riyals (US$133.30), 2007. Issued September 2007. Blue. Front: Ka'aba (cube); King Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Al Saud. Back: Holy mosque in Makkah Al Mukarramah. Holgraphic stripe. Windowed security thread with demetalized 500 and Arabic text between wavy lines. Watermark: King Abdullah, electrotype 500, and Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 166 x 74 mm.
 
Courtesy of Ghassan Samman and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.

Tags: Saudi Arabia

50,000 rials (US$5.40), ND (2007). Issued March 12, 2007. Orange and lemon. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as portrait and watermark along with electrotype denomination, 2.5 mm windowed security thread, and registration device. Map of Persian Gulf with electrons orbiting an atom, and a legend from Prophet Mohammed: “If the science exists in this constellation, men from Persia will reach it,” on back. 166 x 79 mm.

Courtesy of Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hamid Reza Ebrahimi.

Tags: Iran

The United Arab Emirates Central Bank has issued new 2006 dates for all four denominations of its banknote family.

The 50- and 100-dirham notes appear to be unchanged from the current Pick 26 and 27, respectively, except for the new dates on the back.

The 500- and 1,000-dirham notes are like Pick 28 and 25, respectively, but in addition to the new dates, they also now incorporate the denomination in the holographic security stripe at right.

Courtesy of Amal Mehilba.

Tags: United Arab Emirates

50 dinar (US$70.50), AH1427/2006. Like Pick 38, but new date and new signatures.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Jordan

200 new seqalim (US$47.75), 2006. Like Pick 62, but new date and new signatures.

Courtesy of banknoteshop@gmx.net.

Tags: Israel

1 dinar (US$1.40), AH1426/2005. Like Pick 34, but new date and new signatures.

Courtesy of Abdullah Beydoun.

Tags: Jordan

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), consisting of six Arab states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates — plans to issue a unified currency in 2010.

Tags: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

The Bank of Israel has published a new book, “Banknotes and Coins of Israel 1927-2006.” The fruit of intensive research, the book is published by the Currency Department of the Bank of Israel.
 
The book details the entire series of banknotes and coins issued during the period covered. Each note and coin is presented pictorially, and accompanying text describes both the design of motif and the choice behind it. The publication is unique in its technical detail of the notes and coins––size, cover, security measures against counterfeiting, designers and periods of circulation––as well additional background material including the original photographs which provided the source of the designs of the banknotes and coins. Next to the photos of each coin is an example of the original coin––usually an ancient Hebrew coin––upon which the modern coin was based.
 
The book has a foreword by the Governor of the Bank, Professor Stanley Fischer, and was written by Yigal Arkin, a collector and researcher of means of payments, with scientific editing by Dr. Rachel Barkay, numismatic curator of the Bank of Israel.
 
This colorful, hardback, richly illustrated book has colored margins for ease of reference. The Bank of Israel hopes that such an extensive compendium will provide both a source of information and enjoyment to the public, and will help to increase general knowledge of the banknotes and coins of both the modern-day Israel and of the young state-in-the-making.
 
The book is available in both Hebrew and English and is priced at NIS 98 (approximately US$23).
 
Though the book will shortly be for sale at stores, currently it can only be purchased directly from the Bank of Israel. To buy the book, payment can be either by credit card from the Publications Unit of the Bank of Israel: Tel: 02-6552767; Fax: 02-6552984; email: matikahn@boi.gov.il; or by sending a check (payable to the Bank of Israel) to: The Bank of Israel Publications Unit P.B. 780 Jerusalem 91007.

Tags: Israel

1,000 livres, 2004. Issued 2006. Green. Signatures: Ahmed Jachifirst, First Assistant to the Governor; Madi Sakkaor Chakka, Governor. Various historical alphabets in grid. Cedar tree, alphabets, and bar code on back. 116 x 60 mm.
 
Courtesy of Jorge Rabbath.

Tags: Lebanon

10 dinars, L.1968 (2006). New signatures: Badr Yaakub Al Houmaithy, Finance Minister; Shaikh Salem A. Al Sabah, Bank Governor.
 
Courtesy of Ahmad A. Al-Azemi.

Tags: Kuwait