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1/2 Ahmadi Riyal - Ahmad mint reads inward
| Issuer | Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen |
|---|---|
| Year | 1948-1958 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 14 g |
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| Obverse description | The obverse presents a dense field of Arabic calligraphic inscriptions arranged in multiple registers within a circular border of dots. At the top, a circular cartouche encloses the name and titles of Imam Ahmad. Radiating Arabic legends below reference the ruler's epithets and royal titles, rendered in bold relief script. A crescent-shaped ornamental device divides the central legend from the lower inscription, with decorative dot punctuation separating the text registers. The entire design is framed by a raised inner ring and an outer beaded border. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays a prominent central circular cartouche containing the Islamic declaration of faith (Shahada) in three lines: لا إله إلا الله / محمد رسول الله, rendered in bold raised Arabic script. Surrounding the cartouche is a circular marginal legend bearing the titles and epithets of the Imam, separated by star-shaped ornaments and dot dividers. The Hijri date, here reading ١٣٦٨ (as an example year), appears in Arabic-Indic numerals at the base of the coin below the central cartouche. The entire design is enclosed within a beaded border, consistent with the hammered-style aesthetic of Yemeni coinage of the period. |
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| Additional information |
The Mutawakkilite Kingdom operated one of the more isolated monetary systems of the mid-twentieth century, with domestic minting infrastructure that produced consistent idiosyncrasies across the Ahmad coinage. The "mint reads inward" designation on Y#16.1 distinguishes it from the outward-reading variant — a die orientation difference that emerged from the Sana'a mint's inconsistent production methods rather than any deliberate policy change.
Imam Ahmad ruled from 1948 until his death in 1962, spending much of his reign suppressing tribal revolt and fending off Egyptian-backed republican agitation. Silver coinage circulated alongside Maria Theresa Thalers, which Yemenis trusted more.