Catalog
50 Fils
| Issuer | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan |
|---|---|
| Year | 1949 |
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| Thickness | 1.68 mm |
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| Obverse description | Central design features a raised circular medallion bearing the Arabic numeral '٥٠' (50) above the Gregorian date '١٩٤٩' (1949) and the Hijri date '١٣٦٨' (1368) at the top, surmounted by a pearl-bordered royal crown. The medallion is flanked by a spray of wheat on the left and a palm frond on the right, tied at the base by a ribbon. The Arabic legend 'المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية' (The Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan) and 'خمسون فلسا' (Fifty Fils) appear in elegant calligraphic script surrounding the central device, with six-pointed star ornaments punctuating the field. The entire design is contained within a milled border. |
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| Reverse description | The reverse features a large raised inner circle in the centre of the field containing the bold numeral '50' in Latin characters. Above the inner circle, the denomination legend 'FIFTY FILS' is inscribed in the field. Surrounding the central device, the circular legend 'THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF THE JORDAN' runs along the upper periphery, while the date '1949' appears below the central circle and a six-pointed star ornament punctuates the lower field. The legend reads continuously around the coin, with the lower portion inverted relative to the upper, all within a reeded border. |
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| Additional information |
Jordan's first national coinage — issued in 1949 under Abdullah I, just two years after Transjordan became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan — was struck at the Royal Mint in London while the country was still absorbing the political consequences of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The timing meant these coins entered circulation in a kingdom whose territorial situation had just changed dramatically, with Jordan administering the West Bank following the armistice agreements.
The series replaced the Palestinian pound coinage that had circulated under the British Mandate, a monetary transition that carried considerable political weight for a newly sovereign state.