King Hussein of Jordan on coins

[<k>]

KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN

King Hussein was born in 1935. King Faisal II of Iraq was his cousin. King Faisal was assassinated.

However, King Hussein, nicknamed the PLK (Plucky little King) was certainly a survivor, in a dangerous region that has been plagued by enmities: monarchs and Ba'athist dictators; Arabs and Jews; Sunnis and Shi'ites; Palestinian and Israelis; Arab nationalists, the PLO, and religious fundamentalists; and Communist clients and supporters of the West.

He saw several numismatic portraits of himself during his lifetime. These, I think, are all of them.

[<k>]

Jordan, common obverse, 1968.

This is the first numismatic portrait of King Hussein.

It appeared on Jordan's circulation coinage of 1968.


The portrait was produced by British artist and sculptor, Philip Nathan.

He also designed the circulating coinage of Barbados (1970s onward).

He is perhaps best known for the UK Charles and Diana Royal Wedding crown (25 pence) of 1981.

He also designed the reverse of the UK's first Britannia gold bullion coins of the 1980s.

[<k>]

Jordan, 1969.

This portrait appeared on a collector set of silver and gold coins.

It was issued by the Italcambio Mint in 1969.

[<k>]

Jordan, 25 dinars, 1977. 

25th anniversary of Hussein's accession to the throne.

[<k>]

Jordan, ¼ dinar, 1977.

25th anniversary of Hussein's accession to the throne.

[<k>]

New portrait, 1977.

This portrait was produced by Geoffrey Colley.

It first appeared on a set of three Jordanian collector coins.

They were issued to promote the World Wildlife Fund.


In 1978 the portrait appeared on a new set of circulation coins.

[<k>]

A new portrait was used on this 40 dinar gold coin of 1980.

[<k>]

Jordan, 50 dinars, 1985.  50th birthday of King Hussein.

This was a gold coin.

A nickel-bronze 1 dinar coin with the same portrait, by Michael Rizzello was also issued in 1985.




Michael Rizzello also designed the reverse of the coin.

[<k>]

Jordan, 1 dinar, 1992.  King Hussein. 

40th anniversary of his reign.

This portrait was the work of Robert Elderton.

[<k>]

Jordan, 1992.

A new portrait appeared on the Jordanian circulation coinage from 1992.

The portrait was the work of the Royal Canadian Mint.

I do not know who designed it.

[<k>]

Jordan, 5 dinars, 1995.

The portrait on the 5 dinars of 1995 appears only on that coin.
 

This collector coin was produced by the Royal Mint.

It was issued for the 50th anniversary of the United Nations.


Compare this portrait to the portrait in the previous post.

They look like the same portrait but with a different coup.


The two portraits show different amounts of the chest and shoulders.

Yet they are from two different mints.

[<k>]

Jordan, 50 dinars, 1996.  Obverse.




Jordan, 50 dinars, 1996.  Reverse.

The Polish-born sculptor Grazyna Jolanta Lindau now lives in Bern, Switzerland.

She designed both sides of this beautiful Jordanian coin.


The coin commemorates Jordan's Golden Jubilee of Independence (1946-1996).

The reverse shows King Abdullah I of Jordan reading out the independence declaration.


These designs also appeared on a silver 1 dinar coin.

[<k>]

Jordan, 5 dinars, 1999.

King Hussein died in 1999.

He is shown here with his fourth wife, Elizabeth Najeeb Halaby.

The double portrait was designed by Robert Elderton.

[<k>]

Let's look at that 1969 precious metal collector set.




½ dinar - Al Harraneh Palace.

¾ dinar - Shrine of the Nativity - Bethlehem.

[<k>]

1 dinar - Jerusalem.