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50 Fils / 1 Dirham
| Issuer | South Arabian Currency Authority |
|---|---|
| Year | 1964 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central device depicting a traditional Arabian dhow under full sail, shown in right profile navigating stylized waves rendered in low relief. The vessel displays a large lateen sail with finely engraved rigging lines, a small flag at the stern, and detailed hull construction. The Arabic legend درهم واحد (One Dirham) curves along the upper periphery, flanked by the denomination 50 FILS to the left and the Eastern Arabic numeral ٥٠ فلسا to the right. The date 1964 appears in Latin numerals in the lower exergue. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
The South Arabian Currency Authority existed for barely four years. It was established in 1964 as Britain prepared to withdraw from Aden and the surrounding Protectorates, issuing this coinage as part of a short-lived attempt to give the Federation of South Arabia a functioning monetary identity before independence. The political situation collapsed entirely — rival nationalist factions, British military withdrawal in 1967, and the eventual Marxist takeover that created the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen rendered the entire series obsolete almost immediately after striking.
The dual denomination — 50 Fils on one face, 1 Dirham on the other — reflects the transitional monetary framework the Authority was trying to bridge.