Catalog
500 Riyals
| Issuer | Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency |
|---|---|
| Year | 2003 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 500 Riyals |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | مؤسسة النقد العربي السعودي خمس مئة ريال |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | King Abd al-Aziz Ibn Saud portrait visible when held to light; embedded security thread running vertically through the note. |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
The P#30 series marked a significant modernization of Saudi paper currency, issued under SAMA at a time when the agency was actively updating its security specifications across high-denomination notes. Thomas De La Rue's involvement here is unremarkable in itself — they had printed for SAMA across multiple generations — but the 500 Riyal denomination carried particular weight as the highest-value note in everyday commercial use, making it a priority target for counterfeiters throughout the Gulf region in this period.
The security package on this issue is notably lean by the standards De La Rue was offering clients at the time. Later Saudi issues would incorporate color-shifting ink and more complex thread technology.