Catalog
5 Piastres
| Issuer | Republique Syrienne |
|---|---|
| Year | 1942 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Central vignette of the numeral 5 within an ornate guilloche rosette, surrounded by intricate arabesque underprint patterns. Arabic inscription of the issuing authority appears at the top, with the denomination in Arabic numerals and text below the central device. Two signature panels flank the central vignette, with the date in Arabic script along the lower margin, all within a decorative guilloche border. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central intaglio vignette of the Citadel of Aleppo with its minaret and surrounding structures, set within an oval guilloche frame. The legend REPUBLIQUE SYRIENNE arches across the top, with the issue date DAMAS LE 15 JUILLET 1942 along the lower margin. Circular medallions bearing the denomination 5 PIASTRES appear at left and right within a finely engraved arabesque border, with SURVEY OF EGYPT imprinted at the foot of the note. |
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| Comments |
The Republique Syrienne notes of 1942 were issued under the Free French administration during the Allied occupation of the Levant, following the July 1941 campaign that ousted Vichy forces from Syria and Lebanon. Printing was handled by the Survey of Egypt in Cairo — a practical wartime solution, since no suitable facilities existed locally and communications with metropolitan France were severed.
The Survey of Egypt, established as a cartographic institution, took on currency and document printing work repeatedly during the war years out of regional necessity rather than specialization.