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1/2 Rial
| Issuer | Central Bank of Oman |
|---|---|
| Year | 2020 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | The obverse bears the Coat of Arms of the Sultanate of Oman at upper left, accompanied by a vignette of the Ayn Khor seasonal waterfall rendered in detailed multicolour intaglio. A Boswellia sacra (frankincense) tree is integrated into the design as a secondary vignette, referencing Oman's historic role in the incense trade. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse carries two vignettes from Oman's native fauna: the Sooty Falcon (Falco concolor) is illustrated both at rest and in flight, while the Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) appears as a central compositional element, all rendered against a guilloche underprint in subdued tones. |
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| Comments |
Oman's half-rial denomination has historically been an awkward fixture in the series — low enough in face value to see genuine everyday use, high enough that the Central Bank has periodically reconsidered its place in the currency hierarchy. This 2020 issue moves the denomination onto Oberthur's OPTIKS substrate, a hybrid combining paper and polymer layers, which De La Rue had pioneered under a different trade name years earlier. Oberthur's version gives the note meaningful durability gains over cotton paper without committing fully to a transparent polymer window construction.
The TBB#237 reference places this among the later issues of the current Omani series. OPTIKS substrate notes from this period are still early enough in circulation that wear data is limited.