Catalog
50 Afghanis
| Issuer | Baccha I Saqao |
|---|---|
| Year | 1928 |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | Printed in green and red, the note carries a central cartouche with Arabic script denoting the denomination and issuing authority, flanked by ornate floral and foliate guilloche panels. The denomination numeral '50' appears in both upper corners within decorative frames, and a small oval vignette at lower left bears a French-language text obligating the treasury to pay the bearer. A serial number appears at upper right and lower left, with one or more official handstamps visible at the lower margin. |
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| Protection type | Handstamp |
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| Comments |
Bacha-i Saqao — "Son of the Water Carrier" — seized Kabul in January 1929 after forcing Amanullah Khan to abdicate, and his government lasted less than nine months before Nadir Khan's forces hanged him in October of that year. This 50 Afghanis note, dated to the transitional period of his uprising, was issued under the name of his short-lived administration and represents one of the most historically compressed reigns in Afghan monetary history.
The handstamp authentication — rather than any formal printing security — reflects the improvised nature of his treasury. Genuine examples are genuinely scarce; the regime fell too quickly for substantial issue volumes.