Comments on Proposed Arabian Gulf Currency Designs of the 1960s

Started by Figleaf, August 20, 2009, 12:42:21 AM

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Figleaf

the-mosque_654523.jpg


I think all these designs were eventually used on Gulf states or coins, except the clownfish and the mosque.

I have been trying to identify the mosque. I didn't find anything similar until I came across this drawing.

Could it have served as inspiration?

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

Galapagos

Obviously these designs set the template for future Arab coins. The designs for the United Arab Emirates coins (1972) use a few of these themes. However, those coins were designed by Geoffrey Colley, another British artist who produced commissions for the Royal Mint, so he may have been inspired by Mr Ironside's designs shown above.

I am no expert, but the fish depicted looks more like an angelfish. A clownfish looks very different.

I'm not sure which building Mr Ironside based the Arab one on - maybe it was a generic one.

Figleaf

And what I should have mentioned in the first place is that I am grateful that you posted these designs here. I enjoyed the designs both for themselves and for the insights they give on other coins.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

chrisild

Let me echo that. :) Thanks for posting the images! It is always interesting to see coin designs "that could have been" ... As for the mosque, well, I don't think the "mosque" at Kew was his source of inspiration. The one used for the coin design has this "onion dome" style that many Arabic mosques have. Here is a (very recent and  b i g ) example from Abu Dhabi:



But I think it would have made sense to use some "generic" mosque on a coin that would have circulated in four countries. The other designs are not country specific either ...

Christian

Galapagos

Well, Figleaf and Christian, I'm glad you enjoy seeing coins that might have been. They've always fascinated me. Sometimes I look at a design that never made it and think: "If only!" And prior to looking at the documents for the Arabian coins, I never knew that there was such a proposed currency by such a grouping of countries.

Do either of you get the opportunity to view such designs by the mints of your own countries?

chrisild

Quote from: The Squadron of Simpletons on August 22, 2009, 12:05:58 AM
And prior to looking at the documents for the Arabian coins, I never knew that there was such a proposed currency by such a grouping of countries.

Did not know that either. In some articles about the planned (?) GCC currency that I read there were vague references to earlier currency union plans, but I did not pay any attention ...

As for the question about coin designs, see my reply here: http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,3931.0.html

Christian

Harald

Bahrain already hat its coinage introduced by that time (law of 9 December 1964) and Qatar was about to do so (law of 21 March 1966). These two currencies were then used by the other states of the Arabian Gulf. Probably that's why the proposals were not carried any further.

Are there any indications of the denominations for the patterns? The inscription just says, money for the Arabian Gulf.

cheers
--
Harald
http://www.liganda.ch (monetary history & numismatic linguistics)

Galapagos

Quote from: Harald on August 23, 2009, 08:52:47 PM
Are there any indications of the denominations for the patterns?

Harald


Here's that important info:-

1 dirham - Arab dhow, and oil derrick
5 dirhams - m0sque
10 dirhams - date palm
25 dirhams - fish
50 dirhams - gazelle
1 Riyal - falcon

storrington

Hello.
Do you have the MINT 20 file number for these drawings?

Thanks.
PJB

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Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

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Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.