Catalog
50 Afghanis
| Issuer | Bank of Afghanistan |
|---|---|
| Year | 1948 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | First afghani (1925-2003) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central vignette of the Independence Monument (Minaret of Knowledge and Ignorance) in Kabul, set within a circular guilloche border against a pale green and olive bicolour underprint. The bank title in Dari script is repeated at upper centre, with the denomination value 50 rendered in large numerals at right within an ornate rosette panel. Corner ornaments in dark olive frame the overall composition, with a Dari-script inscription band running along the lower margin. |
| Reverse lettering | د افغانستان بانک ۵۰ 50 50 AFGHANIS |
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| Comments |
Bradbury Wilkinson produced this note during a period when the Afghan government was actively trying to modernize its financial infrastructure — the late 1940s saw the Bank of Afghanistan working to establish credibility with a population that remained largely outside the formal banking system. BW's reputation for secure intaglio work made them the preferred choice for several Central and South Asian governments in this era, and the Afghan account ran across multiple denominations through the early postwar years.
Pick 32 is among the more elusive of the series. The watermark security was modest by contemporary standards, and counterfeiting pressure in the region was real enough that later issues required more sophisticated protection.