Catalog
1 Pound
| Issuer | National Bank of Egypt |
|---|---|
| Year | 1899 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Black intaglio on red and orange guilloche underprint; a central vignette presents two dromedary camels resting on the ground, rendered in fine engraved detail. The heading reads 'NATIONAL BANK OF EGYPT' across the top in bold letterpress, with bilingual Arabic and English text throughout, including the promise-to-pay clause, the denomination 'ONE EGYPTIAN POUND', the issuing decree date '25th June 1898', and the place-and-date inscription 'Cairo 5th January 1899'. Serial numbers appear at upper left and upper right, with the Governor's manuscript signature at lower right. |
|---|---|
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| Signature(s) | Palmer Rowlatt |
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| Comments |
The National Bank of Egypt was established by charter in 1898 — a private institution, majority-financed by foreign capital, that was handed the right of note issue almost immediately. This note, from the bank's earliest series, predates the formal entrenchment of the gold standard in Egypt and was issued into a monetary environment still transitioning away from the chaotic overlapping currencies of the late Khedival period.
Bradbury Wilkinson produced the plates in London, which was entirely routine for colonial-adjacent banking institutions of the period. The dual signatures of Palmer and Rowlatt place this among the earliest signed issues — Rowlatt served as secretary, Palmer as the bank's first governor.