Catalog
5 Riyals
| Issuer | Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency |
|---|---|
| Year | 1954 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The Saudi national emblem — a palm tree above two crossed swords — occupies the centre of the note, surrounded by multilingual redemption texts in Arabic, Turkish, and Persian arranged in three columns. The border is composed of fine guilloche lacework with the numeral 5 repeated in each corner. The English legend at the foot reads: THE SAUDI ARABIAN MONETARY AGENCY HOLDS IN ITS VAULTS FIVE RIYALS AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE BEARER OF THIS FULLY REDEEMABLE RECEIPT. |
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| Protection type | Watermark |
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| Comments |
The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency was established by royal decree in 1952, and this note belongs to its very first paper currency issue — a significant step for a country that had previously relied on silver Maria Theresa thalers, Indian rupees, and the Saudi riyal coins minted in Philadelphia during the war years. Religious conservatism within the kingdom had long made paper money politically sensitive; earlier attempts to introduce it had generated real public resistance.
Thomas De La Rue produced the complete series to a high standard. The watermark is the sole security feature — modest by any measure, but sufficient for a first issue in a country where paper currency itself was still a novelty.