Common motifs on the Arab coins of West Asia

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Though we associate the Arab lands with desert, their small boats, sloops and dhows have traditionally been important to them for negotiating their waterways.





Lebanon, 50 pounds, 2006.  Lateen rigged sloop.  This coin was a one-year issue only, as inflation made the denomination worthless.

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Muscat and Oman, 5 baiza, 1962.  Dhow.

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Kuwait, 10 fils, 1977.  Dhow.
 

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United Arab Emirates, 10 fils, 1973.  Dhow.

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People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, 50 fils, 1984.

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Bahrain, 50 fils, 1992.



Qatar, 50 dirhams, 1998.  Dhow.



Qatar, new common reverse, 2006.

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Notice the palm trees on the Qatari coin in the post above, which brings us to the next subject.

Nutrionally important for their dates and coconuts, palm trees appear on several Arab coins.




The reverse of an Omani 10 baiza coin of 1975.
It was issued as part of the FAO programme and features palm trees and fish.

The inscription reads: "Work on the development of food resources  The Sultanate of Oman".

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Bahrain, 10 fils, 2009.  Palm tree.

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Iraq, 1 dinar, 1981.  Palm trees.

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United Arab Emirates, 1 fils, 1973.  Palm tree.

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Saudi Arabia, 100 halala, 1977.  Palm tree and swords.

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And the Saudi swords bring us to the Omani swords.


Omani, 100 baiza, 1984.

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Yemen, Democratic Republic, 5 fils, 1971.

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The aptly named arabesque used to be a common sight on Arab coins, but it is not so frequently seen nowadays.



Jordan, ½ dinar, 1980.  Arabesque.

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The Syrian 5 piastres coin of 1948 features an attractive arabesque.