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AFGHANISTAN
COIN & CURRENCY PAGE
IRAQ COINS
& CURRENCY
This
silver Tanka was struck by Sultan Husayn Bayqara, the last great
Timurid monarch, at his capital in Heart (Afghanistan),
between
1470 and 1506AD. The Timurids were descendents of Tamerlane.
They
ruled much of Central Asia from during the 14th and 15th
century. Dynastic battles were common as family
members
battled for control over the Empire. During his younger
years,
Husayn served as a mercenary and guerilla fighter. After a
while
he decided to fight for himself. He eventually conquered
Herat,
and soon gained control over much of the Timurid
territory.
He was a great supporter of the arts and literature and engaged in a
major building program. This silver Tanka of Husayn
prominently features the words "beh bud" on the coin. The
Persian
phrase "beh bud" means "it was good", perhaps to assure
merchants
that the coins were made of good silver or maybe to indicate his reign
as a time of prosperity. However one of Husayn’s chroniclers
states "Bih-bud Beg" was one of Husayn’s close male companions before
he
became Sultan, who gave him such sexual satisfaction that he did him
the favor
of putting his name and stamp on the coins. Shortly after
Husayn’s death, while his two sons fought for control of the throne,
the Uzbeks conquered Herat, effectively bringing an end to the dynasty.
Suleyman
(Suleiman) the Magnificent ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1520 to 1566.
A wise and
powerful monarch, he expanded his empire to include the Middle East,
North Africa and he almost conquered much of Europe. He is also known
as Suleyman the Lawgiver, for his reorganization and modernization of
the Ottoman legal system. He was also noted for having over 300
concubines. Though Suleyman may have been
magnificent, his coins tended to be small and crude. This
small silver Para of Suleyman was minted in Halab and is dated AH926
which corresponds to 1520AD. Halab is the old name for what
is now Aleppo, Syria. It is one of the oldest continuously
inhabited cities in the world.
This copper Mangir
was struck in Constantinople during
the brief reign of Ottoman Sultan Suleyman II (Suleiman II) who ruled
from 1687 to 1691. Suleiman II was born at Topkapi Palace and
spent most of his life in the kafes (cage), a kind of luxurious prison
that kept royal princes under tight control in order to prevent
rebellion. Unfortunately it left him ill-prepared to rule, so
turned the government over to his Grand Vizier. The crudely
struck coin features his Tughra (formalized signature) on the obverse. 
Syria
has been undergoing a massive upheaval as thousands of brave Syrians
protest the auto-cratic government of Bashar al-Assad, who succeeded
his father as
President in 2000. It may soon be the next
government to fall in the Arab Spring revolutions. The
bi-metallic 25 Pounds pictures the modern Central Bank
building, while Syria’s ancient heritage is featured on the
other coins.. The copper-nickel 10 Pounds pictures
the ancient ruins at Palmyra. The copper-nickel 5 Pounds
features the medieval Citadel of Aleppo. The 2nd
century Roman Theater in Borsa is on the copper-nickel 2 Pounds. All
four coins feature the Syrian arms on the obverse and are dated 1996
(the Arabic numeral 6 looks like the western numeral 7), and are
Uncirculated. Our price is far less than the sets
$16.50 catalog
value.PRESIDENT
ASSAD ON
BI-METALLIC SYRIAN COIN
Shortly
after coming into power in 1979, the
revolutionary Islamic government of Iran issued two commemorative coins
that caused a bit of a stir in some diplomatic circles. The
first
is a copper-nickel 20 Rials dated both SH1358 and AH1400
(AD1979). It pictures banners with Islamic inscriptions
covering
the earth. The coin commemorates the 1400th anniversary
(based on
the Muslim lunar calendar) of the Prophet Mohammad’s flight from Mecca
to Medina in 622AD. The event, known as The Hijra, marks the
start of the Muslim calendar. Our price for this historic
coin is
less than half of its $15 catalog value. The other coin is a
1
Rial coin picturing the Mosque of Omar - which is located in Jerusalem,
Israel. The Mosque, also known as the Dome of the Rock or
Qubbet
el-Sakhra is one of the holiest sites to Jews, Muslims and
Christians. It is the site of the original Jewish Temple,
where
Jesus preached. The Foundation Stone or Rock at the
center
of the dome was where many Jews believe that Abraham offered to
sacrifice his son Isaac. Muslims believe that it is the spot where the
Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. The aluminum-bronze clad
steel coin 1 Rial is dated SH1359 (AD1980). 
NEW COINS FROM IRAN
This
Iran coin set features five new issues. The copper-nickel
5000
and 2000 Rials are dated SH1389 (AD2010). They commemorate
the
50th Anniversary of Iran’s Central Bank. The 1000 Rials
features
flowers and commemorates “15 Shaban”. “15 Shaban”
is a
night of prayers and worship. The 500 Rials pictures a
stylized
tulip and commemorates Khohrramshahr. Khohrramshahr was a
major
battle in the Iran-Iraq War. It essentially destroyed the
city. The 250 Rials commemorates the
Feyziyeh
School. The 1000, 500 and 250 Rials are struck in brass and
are
dated SH1390 (AD2011). All five coins are Uncirculated.LOOKING TO THE
FUTURE WITH IRAN 1404
Iran's
long range planning for the future, called "IRAN 1404" is
commemorated on this 2000 Rials coins dated SH1391 (2012AD).
The vision covers a wide range of economic, infrastructure,
scientific, environmental and cultural issues showing where country
wants be by the year SH1404 (2025AD).
The 26mm copper-nickel coin depicts the project's logo on one
side and the denomination within a wreath on the other. The coin is
Uncirculated, though tends to be weakly struck.
SILVER
PALESTINIAN PEACE PATTERN COIN 
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1/2 LIRE 1962 - FESTIVAL OF PURIMThe 1962 1/2 Shekel, or 1/2 Lire honors the Festival of Purim. The coin features a silver shekel from the revolt against Rome in 66AD. Purim commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people living in the ancient Persian Empire from a plot to annihilate them. It is recorded in the Book of Esther. The coin is Proof and has a mintage of only 9894 pieces in Proof.Item
IL-PUR-PF
ISRAEL 1/2 SHEKEL (LIRA) 1962 FEASTIVAL OF PURIM KM31 PROOF $7.00
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1 LIRA 1958 HANUKKAH - LAW IS LIGHTThe 1958 1 Lira was the one of the first commemorative coins issued by Israel. It features a seven branched menorah to commemorate Hanukkah. The coin is titled “Law is Light”. Hanukkah, the "Festival of Lights”, celebrates the miracle of a how small vial of oil that burned for eight days for the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple following the victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Syrians. It has a mintage of 149,594 and is probably one of the most undervalued Israeli commemorative coins.Item
IL-LAW-U
ISRAEL 1 LIRA 1958 LAW IS LIGHT KM22 UNC.
$2.00
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1 LIRA 1960 - DEGANYA KIBBUTZThis attractive 1960 Lira commemorates and pictures the 50th anniversary of the Deganya (Degania) Kibbutz, the first Kibbutz in Israel. The coin features a view of the Kibbutz. It is a mintage of 49,455 pieces in Uncirculated.Item
IL-DEG-U
ISRAEL 1 LIRA 1960 DEGANYA KM28 UNC.
$4.00
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1 LIRA 1960 - HENRIETTA SZOLDHenrietta Szold is honored on this 1960 1 Lira coin from Israel. Szold, born in Baltimore, was the founder of the Hadassah Women's Organization, which started the first teaching hospital in Palestine. She also operated a movement that rescued thousands of Jewish children from Nazi Europe. The obverse pictures a woman holding a lamb. The reverse features the Hadassah Medical Center. The coin has a mintage of 16,781 in Uncirculated and only 3000 pieces in Proof, making it the key to the series.
Item IL-SZOLD-U
ISRAEL 1 LIRA 1960 HENRIETTA SZOLD KM32 UNC. $12.00
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1 LIRA 1961- DEATH OF A HASMONEAN HEROThe 1961 1 Pound coin from Israel pictures a man underneath an elephant stabbing the belly of the beast. The coin, known as the “Death of a Hasmonean Hero” or the “Maccabean Hero” tells the story of Eleazer killing a war elephant as is written in 1 Macabees 6:42-47. In 163BC Seleucid King Antiochus V sent an army to Judea put down the revolt lead by Judas Maccabeus who was seeking freedom for the Jewish state. Included in the forces were 32 of the most terrifying weapons of the era - elephants. Each elephant lead a force of a thousand men. Eleazer, the younger brother of Judas Maccabeaus, spied the largest and most heavily armored of the elephants. Assuming that it carried the king, he single handedly fought his way through the phalanx of soldiers surrounding the elephant, ran under the beast and stabbed it in the belly. The dying elephant fell on top of Eleazer, killing him. Alas, the elephant did not carry the king, and the Jewish forces soon retreated in the face of strength of the Seleucid army. The obverse of the coin features a torch and the legend in Hebrew “And he gave up his soul in battle”. The coin has a mintage of 18,801 in Uncirculated.Item
IL-HERO-U
ISRAEL 1 LIRA 1961 HERO - ELEPHANT KM34 UNC.
$7.00
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1 LIRA 1962 - ITALIAN HANUKKAH LAMPThe 1962 Lira features a 17th century Hanukkah lamp from Italy. Its mintage is only 9560 in Uncirculated and 5941 in Proof.Item
IL-ITALY-PF
ISRAEL 1 LIRA 1962 ITALIAN HANUKKAH LAMP KM38 PROOF $15.00
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1 LIRA 1963 - NORTH AFRICAN HANUKKAH LAMPThe 1963 Lira displays an 18th century North African Hanukkah lamp. It has a mintage of 9928 Uncirculated pieces and 5412 pieces in Proof.Item
IL-AFRICA-PF
ISRAEL 1 LIRA 1962 NORTH AFRICAN HANUKKAH LAMP KM42 PROOF $16.00
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OFFICIAL 
Reduced
size imagesHISTORIC DESIGNS ON ISRAELI COINS
Israel’s
coins have long been popular with collectors due to their historic
designs. Most coins feature the denomination on one side and an
historically significant design on the
other. In the 1960’s new coins were
introduced. The scalloped edged 1 Agorot features three barley ears, a
theme used on an ancient coin Judea of Agrippa (37-44AD). The 5 Agorot
features three pomegranates that were from a carving found in an
ancient synagogue at Capernaum. A Date Palm from a coin of
the Bar-Kochba revolt (132-135AD) is on the 10 Agorot. The 25
Agorot features an ancient lyre that was depicted on a Bar-Kochba
coin. A Menorah that was on the Arch of Titus is on the 1/2
Lira. The 1 Lira pictures 3 pomegranates from a Jewish coin
minted during the First Revolt (66 to 70AD). The nickel 5
Lirot depicts a roaring lion from on an ancient Hebrew seal found in
Megiddo. The 1, 5, and 10 Agorot are aluminum. 
In 1980 Israel did a
10 to 1 currency revaluation. 1 New Agorot equaled 10 old Agorot and 1
Sheqel equaled 10 Lirot. Many of the coins utilized the
designs of the previous series. The 1 new Agorot featured the
palm tree from the old 10 Agorot. The 5 New Agorot had the
Menorah from the old 1/2 Lira. The 10 New Agorot depicts the
3 pomegranates from the old 1 Lira. The 1/2 Sheqel had the
lion from the old 5 Lirot. The 1 Sheqel depicts a chalice
that appeared on a coin of the First Revolt. A double
cornucopia from a coin of John Hyrcanus I is on the 5 Sheqalim. 
In 1985 Israel did a
100 to 1 revaluation of their currency and introduced another new
series of coins, which is still in use today. The 1 Sheqel pictures an
ancient lily motif that dates back to the 4th century
BC. An ancient harp is on the 1/2 Sheqel.
A seven branched menorah from an ancient carving is on the 10
Agorot. A coin from the Jewish revolt against Rome dating
from 69AD is on the 5 Agorot. An ancient galley, a motif used
on the coins of Herod Archelaus (4 - 6BC), is on the 1
Agorot. We offer this set of these five coins
dating 1986 or later that special Hanukka issues. The Hanukka
coins have the same design as the regular issue except that on the
obverse they have a small menorah and the word Hanukka in English and
Hebrew. The coins would often be given as gifts to Children.
The five coin set is Uncirculated.
Saudi
Arabia issued two
bi-metallic 100 Halala coins in 1999 (AH1419). The regular
issue
features a palm tree and a pair of crossed swords. The
commemorative issue honors the 100th anniversary of the Saudi
Kingdom. Saudi Arabia dates it's founding to a night in 1902
when
Abdul Aziz ibn Saud and 40 of his followers did a daring midnight raid,
capturing the Ottoman fort at Riyadh. With the support of the
conservative Islamic Wahhabi clergy, Abdul Aziz declared a
Jihad,
or holy war against the Ottomans and other rulers who controlled the
Arabian Peninsula. After the defeat of the
Ottoman's in
World War I by Allied forces, Abdul Aziz conquered neighboring Hejaz,
and consolidated his kingdom into what is today Saudi Arabia. The
design of the coin features extensive calligraphy as well as a stylized
representation of a palm tree, and the
fort. The 100
years from1902 to 1999 is based on the lunar Hegira calendar, which has
slightly shorter years than a solar calendar.
In 1971,
after Great Britain
terminated its promise to protect them from external aggression, seven
sheikdoms on the Arabian Peninsula joined together to form the United
Arab Emirates. This three-coin set of the current coins of
the
United Arab Emirates includes the 1998 25 Fils showing a Gazelle, the
2005 seven-sided 50 Fils showing oil derricks (oil being the source of
much of their wealth) and the 1998 1 Dirham showing a coffee
pot.
All three coins are Brilliant Uncirculated. 
This four coin set features the current coins
of the
Yemen Republic. The set includes the 2004 bi-metallic 20
Rials
that features the rare and endangered
Dragon's Blood Tree. The tree that is found on the island of Sokotra
(Sucotra, Sogotra),
located approximately 200 miles (340km) off the coast of Yemen in the
Indian
Ocean. The sap of the tree has been
harvested for medicine since ancient times. The 10
Rials
features the famous 17th century Shaharah stone bridge. The
32
meter limestone bridge links two mountaintop villages seperated by a
gorge. A government building is on the 5 Rials and a stylized
eagle is on the 1 Riyal. All four coins are Uncirculated.ANCIENT COIN OF ELYMAIS 2010
PALESTINE PATTERN COINS PRESIDENT ASSAD PUTS
HIMSELF ON SYRIAN
COIN 1800 YEARS OF IRAQ
COINS & CURRENCY MEDIEVAL ISLAMIC TERRA-COTTA
TOKENS AFGHANISTAN COIN
& CURRENCY PAGE<--
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